Cole Hamels finishing career with Phillies would be amazing

Could there be a scenario in which Cole Hamels ends his career with the Philadelphia Phillies?

No matter what team Cole Hamels happens to be playing for, Philadelphia Phillies fans will always considered the former World Series MVP one of their own when looking at everything the pitcher has done both on and off the field.

Even when Hamels recently pitched four innings against his former team to help the Chicago Cubs take down the Phillies 8-4, deep down fans were still happy to see him going strong, although that feeling could always change come October.

Without question, one of the toughest decisions ever made by the Philadelphia organization came back in 2015 when they traded Hamels to the Texas Rangers to allow him the opportunity to play for a serious contender instead of sticking with the Phillies.

At the time, Philadelphia was going through a bit of a rebuilding mode, and while it was great to see Hamels continue to shine each time he took the mound, the organization knew they were holding him back as well.

If only Hamels and the Phillies knew back then what kind of team Philadelphia would have during the 2019 season since the team has been showing signs of being a legitimate World Series contender in the National League, but maybe there’s hope for 2020.

Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia recently discussed how Hamels will be a free agent after this season, and when asked about a potential return to the Phillies, he didn’t seem to rule it out.

From Salisbury’s piece:

"“I know Philly is finally getting into that where they can make a five-, six-, seven-year run like we did and taking back that division. To be a part of something that special, I would consider it, but I know that I have to play well and everything has to fit. As long as I take care of business on the field, I think that allows the options to be there.”"

Some will question whether a team on the rise like the Phillies would be wasting their time on a pitcher like Hamels who will be 36 at the start of next year, but if he’s still pitching at a high level, why wouldn’t they consider the possibility?

Between giving Philadelphia another reliable pitcher to work with in the rotation on top of his veteran leadership being able to mentor some of the younger players, this seems like a potential move that could work wonders for the Phillies beyond the 2019 season.

Of course, as Hamels made clear, the main focus for both parties right now needs to be on the current season since both the Phillies and Cubs are loaded with the right talent to potentially be playing in October.

But when looking at how quickly the 2019 season is already flying by, the offseason will be here before Philadelphia knows it, and Hamels has made a strong case for earning the right to finish his playing career with the team he started with.