The Philadelphia Phillies continue to scout the Boston Red Sox's farm system. Boston desperately needs help in their starting rotation. Trade rumors regarding Cole Hamels have surrounded the two clubs for nearly a year now, but will something come to fruition?
The rumors have subsided since March, but the link between Hamels and the Red Sox remains strong. Boston has the farm system to provide the Phillies with what they want in return for their ace. The Red Sox have been hesitant to surrender their top prospects for Hamels, who is now 5-3 with a 2.98 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 67 strikeouts in 10 starts (66 1/3 innings).
"All signs point to the Red Sox being the team that the Phillies are focused on, though the Dodgers, Cubs, Cardinals, Yankees and others have been and still could be in play as July 31 nears," writes Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly.
Phillies' general manager Ruben Amaro is said to have excessive demands for the left-hander.
Nonetheless, a rival MLB scout still sees much potential in a trade between the two clubs.
"There's a deal to be made there, absolutely," the anonymous scout told Salisbury.
"I think the team with the most resources to get him is Boston. They have the talent and can take the financial hit ... The Red Sox have enough minor-league talent that they can move some of it if they want to make a deal."
Red Sox GM Ben Cherington is reportedly unwilling to part ways with outfielder Mookie Betts and catcher Blake Swihart, who are both now on the team's MLB roster. Boston also covets their pitching at Triple-A Pawtucket, so it might be tough for the Phillies to convince them to give up anything there. The scout was aware of that and actually suggested other possibilities.
"There's a lot of talent on their Greenville roster," he said of Boston's Class A affiliate.
On that roster he specifically mentioned Rafael Devers, Javier Guerra, Mauricio Dubon and Michael Kopech. He also included names higher up in the farm system, such as Manuel Margot, Garin Cecchini and Michael Chavis.
However, those options, in whatever combination, probably aren't enough to acquire a perennial starting pitcher such as Hamels. The left-hander's stock is still high, especially after his last four starts, during which he is 4-0 with a 1.53 ERA and 29 strikeouts.
"Hamels' average fastball velocity in May is 93.59 mph, a monthly figure he did not reach last season until August. His strikeout rate, over a full season, would rank among the best of his career," writes FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal.
"His walk rate is dropping, and after allowing seven homers in his first three starts, his home run rate also is returning to normal. Hamels has allowed only one homer in his last seven outings, none in his last four."
Hamels would undoubtedly help Boston's starting rotation, whose ERA (5.02) ranks 29th in the MLB. But on top of the prospect debacle, financial issues may play a role as well.
"While some folks still see the Red Sox as the logical favorite for Hamels, one complication is that while he's expected to approve Boston, because they are now on the no-trade list he'd likely expect to have the option year picked up. At that point, with four extra years after this one, Hamels becomes less of a perceived bargain -- $106 million through '19 instead of $92 million through '18," Jon Heyman of CBS Sports wrote last week.
That's a lot to digest. But the one thing to take away from all this is that there's still a chance a deal gets done before the deadline. The Phillies are still looking to trade Hamels and the Red Sox need starting rotation help if they wish to stand a chance in a wide-open AL East. Rex Sox prospect Eduardo Rodriguez provided hope in his MLB debut last night, but he won't be able to turn around an entire cast of struggling starters.
It all depends on what the Phillies want and what the Red Sox are willing to offer.
