The Atlanta Braves signed free-agent pitcher Cole Hamels on Wednesday. Jeff Passan, of ESPN, was the first to report the news.
Left-hander Cole Hamels and the Atlanta Braves are in agreement on a one-year, $18 million deal, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan)
December 4, 2019 Hamels was 7-7 last season with the Chicago Cubs and had a 3.81 ERA. He pitched 141 2/3 innings as an age 35 pitcher.
The Braves officially announced the signing via release:
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound native of San Diego, Calif., joined Chicago just prior to the 2018 trade deadline. The lefty has also pitched for Philadelphia (2006-15) and Texas (2015-18) in his 14-year career. Hamels has made four All-Star teams and was both the NLCS and World Series MVP for the 2008 Phillies. He has a career 3.41 ERA (38 ER/100.1 IP) in 17 postseason appearances, 16 of which were starts.
In his regular-season career, Hamels has made 421 starts and has 2,558 strikeouts in 2,694.2 innings, totals that are all the most among active left-handers. Hamels also ranks third among active southpaws in wins (163) and fifth in ERA (3.42).
Hamels was originally selected by Philadelphia with the 17th overall pick of the 2002 First-Year Draft out of Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego.
