Report: Padres sign former Phillie Cole Hamels to minor-league deal
The former Phillies star will try to re-boot his career after not pitching for two seasons.
Cole Hamels, the Phillies’ 2008 World Series MVP and longtime ace, has signed a minor-league deal with the San Diego Padres, according to Robert Murray of Fansided.
Hamels, 39, has been eyeing a comeback since 2021, when he signed a one-year, $3.05 million deal with the Dodgers only to be placed on the 60-day injured list shortly after. Hamels told the AP that his brief stint with Los Angeles was “embarrassing” because he felt that he let the organization down.
Hamels’ last full big-league season came in 2019 with the Chicago Cubs. He went 7-7 with a 3.81 ERA in 27 starts. He signed with the Atlanta Braves in 2020 but made just one start for them during the pandemic season.
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He has undergone three surgeries (left shoulder, right knee and left foot) since the Dodgers placed him on the injured list in 2021.
Hamels has pitched for four big-leagues teams in his 15-year career, going 163-122 with a 3.43 ERA and 2,560 strikeouts. He went 114-90 over his 10 years with the Phillies, posting a 3.30 ERA with 1,844 strikeouts.
Hamels told the AP in December that he wants to start but hasn’t ruled out pitching in the bullpen.
”A spring training invite is no risk, all reward,” he said to the AP. “If you start me out in February, I’ll be ready by April 1. Or I’ll know exactly I can’t do it, and I will be the first one to admit, nope, I had a great career. I can hang it up and be proud of what I did.”