Cole Hamels didn’t play much in 2020. He only made one start (3.1 innings) for the Atlanta Braves before being shut down for the entirety of the shortened season. Atlanta signed Hamels to a one-year deal at 18 million dollars but it didn’t work out for either side as he had left triceps tendinitis and left shoulder fatigue. The word now is that he is healthy and ready to sign with someone for 2021. The Chicago White Sox would be perfect for the 37-year-old veteran for many reasons.
For one, he has some familiarity with the city of Chicago. The first ten years of his career were spent with the Philadelphia Phillies followed by parts of four years with the Texas Rangers. In 2018, the Chicago Cubs acquired him and he pitched there for parts of two seasons before signing with Atlanta as a free agent. If he liked Chicago, the White Sox would be a good spot for him because he can actually win with them.
Hamels knows what it is like to win. He won the World Series with the Phillies in 2008. He was so good in that series that he was named to be the 2008 World Series MVP. He was also the NLCS MVP one series before that and has four all-star selections as well. He has four top-ten finishes for the National League Cy Young during his great career.
Hamels isn’t the same pitcher now that he was back then but he does have something in his back pocket that not many do and that is experience. The deep postseason run in which he played well can help him help others. This White Sox team is so young and could use as many experienced players as possible.
There is no guarantee at all that the White Sox add another pitcher but it is possible. All of these guys would be super cheap and could provide tremendous results. In the case of Foltynewicz and Archer, they could even be brought in on cheap one-year deals with the thought of it being longer if they perform well. No matter what, we just hope the White Sox have enough depth for 2021 when it starts.