Truth be told, I’ve probably spent more time producing this review than Cole Hamels has actually spent pitching for the Atlanta Braves. That makes evaluating his time with the team both tricky and incredibly easy at the same time.
Hamels signed with the Braves on December 4, 2019, on a one-year deal worth $18 million before COVID-19 shortened the season and prorated salaries across the league. That made him one of Atlanta’s largest acquisitions of the offseason, along with Marcell Ozuna and Will Smith.
Unfortunately, the bad news began not long after that. Essentially as soon as pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training in February, manager Brian Snitker announced that Hamels had hurt his shoulder and would not be available for at least three more weeks.