Chicago Cubs Rumors: Team has sights set on veteran Cole Hamels

Chicago Cubs Rumors: Is Hamels a change-of-scenery guy?

Calling Cole Hamels’ home starts for the Rangers ‘disappointing’ might be as big of an understatement as calling Javier Baez a ‘free-swinger’.

He’s taken the ball in Arlington in half of his 20 outings this year, pitching to a staggering 6.41 ERA in the process. Of the 23 home runs he’s allowed, 16 have come at Globe Life Park at Arlington. And that’s hardly a surprise, as the Rangers’ home digs rank as the most homer-friendly venue in baseball this year.

So, yeah. When you go the route of former Cub John Lackey and serve up dingers like hot cakes on a Sunday morning, things don’t go well – nor do your numbers look all that great. But when Hamels puts opponents on a homer-free diet, he looks a lot like the guy who dominated hitters all those years ago.

Away from Arlington, Hamels boasts a sterling 2.93 earned run average, respectable 1.229 WHIP and 9.9 strikeouts per nine. Yep. That seems like someone I want at the back end of my rotation. No? You’d rather keep trotting Chatwood out there every five days? Yeah, I didn’t think so.