Chicago Cubs: Cole Hamels is absolutely this year’s Justin Verlander

Chicago Cubs: A true reinvigorated ace on the bump

Back in the thick of a playoff race for the first time in years, Cole Hamels looks like the guy who brought the Philadelphia Phillies a World Series title a decade ago.

And, to be honest, that’s not what we anticipated when we dealt for him. Nor does it seem to be what the Texas Rangers expected us to get given the low return they received in the trade. But here we are heading into late August with a hungry Hamels chasing another title.

So, sure. They’ve gone about it in very different ways. But last year’s Justin Verlander and this year’s Cole Hamels are on a level playing field. The former ultimately helped his team make history. Now, it’s time for the veteran lefty to see if he can match such a performance down the stretch.