Veteran pitcher Cole Hamels has retired, according to the San Diego Padres. Hamels signed a minor league deal with the Padres this offseason, and had been working at their spring facility in Arizona in an effort to return, but had yet to appear in any games of any sort.
Per Dennis Lin on Twitter, Hamels’ agent said that Hamels was “having trouble recovering and throwing without pain,” and that doctors informed Hamels his shoulder is inflamed.
The 39 year old Hamels last appeared in the majors in 2020, when he appeared in one game for the Atlanta Braves.