MLB Trade Rumors: Seattle Mariners May Have the Edge in the Cole Hamels Sweepstakes
Texas Rangers may be willing to move Hamels well before the trading deadline
The Seattle Mariners are on pace to finally put an end to their lengthy postseason drought, but just because things are looking good right now, doesn't mean that the team will get complacent and not pursue improvements.
If anything, they may be among the teams trying to secure those roster upgrades as soon as possible.
According to a recent report from MLB insider Jon Morosi, the Mariners and the Texas Rangers "have had dialogue about a Cole Hamels trade."
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While Morosi did add that a deal is not imminent, he did also point out that the Mariners are well-positioned to make this move.
The Mariners do not have to worry about Hamels' limited no-trade clause and they will also be capable of taking on the sizable chunk of change still owed to Hamels, Morosi said.
If the Mariners can swing this deal for Hamels, they can shore up what is arguably their biggest weakness and one that could make the stretch run tougher for them.
While starters James Paxton, Wade LeBlanc and Marco Gonzales have held their own in the rotation for the Mariners this season, Mike Leake and Felix Hernandez have had their struggles.
There's probably no chance that the Mariners will take Hernandez out of the rotation considering his history with the franchise, but Hamels can still be a significant upgrade over Leake.
Also, trading for Hamels gives the Mariners a reliable arm to turn to should anyone in their current rotation need time off due to injury.
One last tidbit relevant to Hamels provided by Morosi is that trade talks have apparently reached the point where a deal being made prior to the All-Star game on July 17 is a possibility.
Things can always change as the trading deadline approaches, but at this point at least, it appears that the Mariners are the favorites to acquire Hamels.
