Boston Red Sox Trade Rumors: Is Cole Hamels Trade Coming For Red Sox?
Boston Red Sox trade rumors about Cole Hamels aren’t going away. In fact, the Hamels to Red Sox buzz increased over the weekend when catcher Blake Swihart played against the Philadelphia Phillies. It may have just been a Spring Training game, but some analysts felt it was a way for the Red Sox to show a potential trading partner what he might be able to do on the field.
The Boston Herald recently reported that it is now the “perfect time” to acquire Hamels in a deal. Writer Michael Silverman talked at end about why the team should be seriously considering the acquisition.
“That Cole Hamels’ addition to the Red Sox would separate them from the rest of the American League East is virtually indisputable.”
“Whether the Red Sox feel the need to establish that separation is what is keeping them up from moving heaven and earth to make a deal with the Phillies.”
As previously reported on the Inquisitr, these aren’t the first Boston Red Sox trade rumors to involve Cole Hamels this off-season. The Red Sox actually extended an offer that didn’t fit what the Phillies were looking to receive in a deal. The inherent problem in the negotiations seemed to be that the Phillies want the Red Sox to pay his full salary and also give up significant prospects. That is a tough sell for any team in Major League Baseball, which is why no deal appears imminent.
Players that have been mentioned in negotiations include Allen Craig, Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Shane Victorino, and Joe Kelly. Now it is catching prospect Blake Swihart that has become the focal point of these latest Boston Red Sox trade rumors. Both sides continue to play hardball in the negotiations, but keep coming back to the table when it comes to discussing the possibilities.
When it was revealed on ESPN that Cliff Lee has a torn common flexor tendon and could miss the entire 2015 MLB season, it created even more buzz about why the Phillies need to go into a re-building mode right away. Trading off an All-Star pitcher like Cole Hamels for several future assets makes perfect sense in that regard. Lee is going to try to avoid surgery, but the implications are that the starting rotation just took a huge hit in Philadelphia.
The reality of this situation is that these Boston Red Sox trade rumors still have merit due to the assets that the team has, the need it has to improve its starting rotation, and the willingness of the Philadelphia Phillies to trade a star player. The question becomes whether the team will become desperate to make a move before Spring Training ends.
[Image Source: Rob Foldy/Getty Image]
