Mets fans might not want to hear it, but the team should sign Cole Hamels. Most fans will be familiar with Hamels from his days with the Phillies.
Hamels hasn’t been the same pitcher since his days with the Phillies, but he is still a very durable and reliable pitcher.
Since 2016 he has pitched for the Texas Rangers, and the Chicago Cubs. His ERA since 2016 has been 3.74 with a FIP of 4.28. Hamels’ four seasons in Texas provided mixed results. He had 88 starts with the Rangers with a 38-21 record and a 3.90 ERA with a 4.38 FIP. Hamels was traded to the Cubs in July 2018.
His results with the Cubs showed promise for a late-career renaissance. In 39 starts for the Cubs Hamels had a 3.30 ERA with a 3.86 FIP. In 333 NL starts he has a 125-100 record, with a 3.30 ERA and a 3.51 FIP.
Hamels was never a hard thrower with his fastball sitting in the low 90s for most of his career. His changeup has often been stated to be his best pitch. Fangraphs believed his changeup returned to form in 2019.
Hamels will probably receive a multiyear contract from a team, and Fangraphs thinks it will be somewhere in the ballpark of 2 years for $28 or $30 million. If the Mets want to be in the playoff hunt in 2020 they need to replace Zack Wheeler. Hamels is arguably the best free-agent pitcher that the Mets would attempt to sign.
Featured Image: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
