Who says you can’t go home? Cole Hamels may have been born in San Diego, California, but his birth into the major leagues came 3,000 miles away, with the Philadelphia Phillies. If the latest Hamels rumors have any truth to them, he may be heading back to the City of Brotherly Love to finish his great career. It would also help the Phillies' World Series odds.

Hamels will be traded, but to which team?

It seems that it is inevitable that Cole Hamels time in Texas is coming to an end. With Hamels rumors hitting the internet every day, some from very reliable sources, it is believed that it is just a matter of time before the crafty left-hander is donning a new uniform.

According to an NJ.com report, a reunion with the Philadelphia Phillies could be on the horizon. NJ.com indicates that MLB Insider Jon Heyman tweeted out that rumors of a possible return to Philadelphia are gaining some steam. While Hamels has several teams in his contract that are in his no-trade clause, it is being reported that the Phillies are not one of them, and as Heyman put it “they love him (in Philadelphia)."

The match seems to make sense. Hamels is having a great season, even if his stats don’t particularly show it. Add to that, despite a nice run recently by the Rangers, they are in fifth place in the AL West, 17.5 games behind the Houston Astros. Yes, there is a lot of baseball left to be played, but the Rangers are not catching Houston, that you can bet on.

The Phillies seemingly would welcome back Hamels with open-arms, despite trading him away back in 2015. The Phillies are for real folks, and welcoming back an experienced veteran could be just what the young Phillies staff needs to guide them into a position to make the MLB postseason this fall.

Yankees out?

With the Phillies rumors swirling, are the Yankees out of the Cole Hamels sweepstakes?

They just may be. With the MLB trade deadline under 30 days away, Yankees GM Brian Cashman has made it clear that he is shopping for quality starters. But at what price? Masahiro Tanaka is expected to return soon, however, Cashman wants a reliable arm for a postseason run. With Jordan Montgomery out for the season, and Sonny Gray’s up and down performances, no one beyond Luis Severino and CC Sabathia has been consistently reliable.

Cashman wants Hamels, but if the asking price includes Gleyber Torres or Clint Frazier, you can forget about it. The flamboyant Cashman has made it clear that he does not want to part with his young core. Time will tell if he changes his mind, especially if a last-minute deal can be struck to obtain Hamels this summer.
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