Cole Hamels, Atlanta Braves agree on one year deal, per report

MLB Rumors: Cole Hamels and the Atlanta Braves have agreed on a one year deal for $18 million, per Jeff Passan. Hamels did not receive a qualifying offer from the Chicago Cubs, who he played for in 2019, so this does not cost the Braves a draft pick or international bonus money.

Hamels, who turns 36 this month, put up a 3.81 ERA and a 4.09 FIP in 141.2 IP for the Cubs in 2019. The Cubs acquired him from the Texas Rangers in July, 2018 for Eddie Butler, Rollie Lacy and Alexander Ovalles (Ovalles is the only one of that trio still with Texas). Hamels rebounded in Chicago after having had a poor stretch in Texas in the middle of 2018, putting up a 2.36 ERA and a 3.42 FIP for Chicago post-trade.

Hamels is no longer the ace he once was, but he’s a solid middle of the rotation starter at this point of his career. There are going to be concerns about his durability and the possibility of a steep decline, given his age, but on a one year deal, he makes sense for an Atlanta Braves team looking for veteran rotation help.