Red Sox eye deal for Phillies ace lefty Hamels

SAN DIEGO -- The Red Sox are one of several teams expected to look into a trade for Phillies star Cole Hamels. Boston may cast a wide net for starting pitching following longtime Red Sox Jon Lester's decision to sign with the Cubs for $155 million.


Hamels is a star pitcher who could fit the top of the rotation, and the Phillies are said to like several Boston prospects.


The pitching market, between free agents Max Scherzer, James Shields and others, and a trade market that may include Doug Fister, Jordan Zimmermann, Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross, Johnny Cueto, Rick Porcello, David Price, Mat Latos, Mike Leake and others is extremely well-stocked. But of the trade guys who are big stars, Hamels may be the most likely to be dealt.


Word is, the Phillies like infielder-outfielder Mookie Betts, catcher Blake Swihart, third baseman Garin Cecchini and a few others in Boston's well-stocked market.
Hamels' value should be high since he has $90 million to go over through 2018, which looks reasonable in this market. Hamels did add Boston to his no-trade list, so perhaps the Red Sox would need to agree to pick up his option year to get him to agree to a trade, should they make a deal.


The Giants, Dodgers and several other teams should also have interest in Hamels. L.A. also has big prospects who could interest the Phils.


To this point, the Phillies have been frustrated by their inability to find deals for many of their veteran players, thanks to bloated contracts, options and no-trade clauses. But Hamels should give them a chance to reload by dealing him for multiple good young pieces, if they can find the match

No Lester? No Hamels? The Sox have other options in play.


Cole Hamels would be a lovely addition to the Red Sox, but he'll be a costly one. He was always behind Jon Lester in the transaction queue for Boston, and with plenty of other pitchers available and deals to work out, he's still not at the front of the line. FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that the Sox and Phillies are "not currently close" on Hamels, and that the Sox are talking about a trade for Wade Miley or one of "five-plus" other pitchers.


The Red Sox probably don't want Hamels unless the Phillies are willing to take low-level talent for him -- quality talent, mind you, but far from the majors. The Phillies would like closer to ready prospects, since it speeds up their rebuild. This impasse will likely remain for some time, and it's why you'll find the Red Sox searching elsewhere. Miley, as we've already discussed on Wednesday, would be a lovely, ground-balling fit in front of the Boston infield, and there are even other high-quality options around, such as the Reds' Mat Latos or, if the Sox don't mind paying up for an expiring ace, Johnny Cueto.


Both the Diamondbacks and Reds are reported to be looking to shed salary in addition to adding talent at their respective organizational crossroads, though with rumors of trade interest in Yoenis Cespedes attached to the latter, it seems more likely the Red Sox would help on that particular front in Arizona by prying the arbitration-eligible Miley away. The Reds are in a better position to add a hitter like Cespedes and then try to get lucky in the NL Central with the pitching they hold onto, or to find somewhere else to shed money, like closer Aroldis Chapman.


Rosenthal doesn't confirm who the other five-plus pitchers are, but does suggest that Shields remains a possible Red Sox target through free agency. Expect something to happen relatively soon, as the winter meetings all but end on Wednesday, with only the Rule 5 draft and flights home to look forward to on Thursday.