Despite the fact that Max Scherzer and James Shields are both still available in free agency, the pitcher that is likely to change teams that seems like he will have the most impact on the upcoming season is Philadelphia's Cole Hamels.
The Phillies have several suitors for their ace, and it seems increasingly likely that he will have a new home in the next few weeks.
Several teams are reportedly in the running for Hamels, but there are two teams that seem like they may be the favorites right now, and both play in the National League West. The San Diego Padres have been aggressively pursuing Hamels for most of the offseason, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are rumored to be in the mix as well.
Boston looked like the place that Hamels would land for a while, but with the Red Sox refusing to give up their best two prospects, that deal is believed to be all but dead. The Dodgers may also may also be unwilling to part with their best young players, but they may also have a good enough chance at a World Series title that they think the risk is worth it.
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That leaves the Padres looking like the favorites, according to Bleacher Report. The team has already worked hard this offseason to shore up its anemic offseason by completely revamping their outfield, and they managed to do it without parting from any prized prospects, meaning they still have the pieces to work out a deal for Hamels.
The main question for the Padres is money, but reports are that Philadelphia may be willing to foot the bill for some of the $96 million that Hamels has left on his contract.
Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. thinks that Hamels would welcome a move.
"He was neutral when I talked to him,'' Amaro said. "Happy to go. I think he wants to win. What we'll try to do is assess what's the right value for the player. And if we get the right value that we're comfortable with, we'll move."
Regardless, it seems that Hamels is probably heading to the west coast for 2015, and he will almost certainly make whichever team gets him a playoff favorite. The reigning champion San Francisco Giants have lost some key players this offseason without adding much in the way of replacements, so the door could be open for the Dodgers or Padres to establish themselves as the class of the division.
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