Report: Astros Were Favored Over Rangers In Hamels Deal

Ahhh…baseball in August!

It’s even better when your home team is playing meaningful baseball during this span as our team is pushing hard in this race for the AL West pennant.

It’s highly probable that the Houston Astros will win it — but as with life, nothing is guaranteed.

I honestly think they’ll be working through the last weeks of the season to ensure that they do so.

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The Astros are currently 63-54 and have a 2.5 game lead on the 60-56 Los Angeles Angels, the team’s biggest threat in terms of thwarting their coveted goals.

The Angels have been quite aggressive in the waiver-wire market, trying to get better and have been wrestling with the Astros over the services of Chase Utley, who’s currently one piece of the fire sale the 46-71 Philadelphia Phillies are having.

One thing is for sure, it will be an exciting foot race toward the finish line if you ask me!

But anyway, some interesting news just trickled about the potential deal for the Astros to land Cole Hamels.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that the Phillies had favored the Astros over the Texas Rangers when it all came down to dealing Hamels.

However, it was Hamels’ no-trade clause that gave him the upper-hand in terms of where his final destination would be.

Rosenthal said that the Phillies were reportedly intrigued with top prospects Brett Phillips and Josh Hader — who were to be included in the deal — but it was ultimately denied by Hamels forcing them to find another trade in the Rangers.

There was even word of the Astros sweetening the pot by possibly being able to guarantee Hamels’ $23.5 million salary for next season, his 4th year of a total six-year, $144 million deal.

Hamels was eventually shipped along lefty Jake Diekman and cash for six prospects — Jorge Alfaro, Alec Asher, Jerad Eickhoff, Jake Thompson, Nick Williams and Matt Harrison.

Phillips and Hader were eventually dealt to the Milwaukee Brewers to land Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers.