Braves sign LHP Cole Hamels
ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Braves today signed LHP Cole Hamels to a one-year contract worth $18 million. The Braves now have 38 players on the club’s 40-man roster.
Hamels, 35, spent last season with the Cubs and went 7-7 with a 3.81 ERA (60 ER/141.2 IP), 56 walks and 143 strikeouts in 27 starts. It marked the 14th consecutive season he made at least 20 starts, joining Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke as the only active pitchers with 14-or-more seasons of at least 20 starts.
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.