The Chicago Cubs have a legitimate chance before the 2015 MLB Trade Deadline at becoming the first franchise to a receive a rather semi-dubious honor -- landing a pitcher via trade whose last start for his former team was a no-hitter against them.
Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels no-hit the Cubs on Saturday at Wrigley Field, but it's looking increasingly likely that he won't be in a Phillies uniform whien his next turn in the rotation comes up.
Via Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports:
Sources: Momentum building toward Hamels trade. Offers have improved since no-hitter. Teams asking for less money, offering better players.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 26, 2015
Per Rosenthal, the Cubs are one of five teams who have shown recent interest in the lefty ace:
The five teams with the most recent interest in Hamels: #Cubs, #Dodgers, #Rangers, #Yankees, #SFGiants. Not listed in any particular order.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 26, 2015
Conflicting reports have both the Dodgers and the Rangers out in front for Hamels, with the Cubs' reportedly balking at a potential deal which would cost them both Starlin Castro and Javier Baez as the centerpieces.
However, things are bound to change as Friday's deadline approaches, and Rosenthal's assertion that teams are "offering better players" could directly correlate to the Cubs.
Hamels is 6-7 this year with a 3.64 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 137 strikeouts in 128.2 innings. He is owed $67.5 million from 2016-18 with a contingent 2019 option for $20 million (with a potential $6 million buyout clause if certain parameters aren't met).
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