TODAY: Snitker confirmed that Hamels will miss the beginning of the season and will likely be placed on the 10-day injured list. (Gabriel Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution was among those to report the news.)
JULY 16: The Braves will likely open the season without left-hander Cole Hamels, manager Brian Snitker said Thursday (via Mark Bowman of MLB.com).
Hamels signed a one-year, $18MM contract with the Braves in the offseason, but the former Phillie, Ranger and Cub has since endured an injury-laden few months. He didn’t pitch at all in spring training because of inflammation in his throwing shoulder. The 36-year-old Hamels looked like a lock to miss the start of the season then, but the game’s months-long shutdown seemed to make it likely he’d be ready for the abbreviated campaign. Instead, though, Hamels has battled another problem – triceps tendinitis – that has slowed him in Summer Camp.
The good news is that Hamels was able to throw a side session Thursday without experiencing any pain, according to Bowman. However, it remains unclear how much time the long-effective innings eater will miss. If and when he’s able to take the mound in 2020, Bowman notes the Braves will be cautious with him, at least at first, with three- to four-inning appearances.
As for how the Braves will proceed without Hamels, Bowman lists touted young righty Kyle Wright, veteran RHP Josh Tomlin and lefty prospect Tucker Davidson as candidates for the last spot in their rotation. Mike Soroka, Max Fried, Mike Foltynewicz and Sean Newcomb are slated to occupy the top four spots for the back-to-back NL East champions.
Bumgarner would have!
Jamie Moyer would have!
I’d rather an injured Hamels not playing than an injured MadBum playing.
You know, you could change your name to something like BumgarnerequalsNLCS4AZ =}
would’ve taken a 3 year deal for a 30/31 year old Bumgarner any day over a 1 year deal for Hamels that’s looking like he won’t even pitch at all…assuming MadBum would’ve taken a 3 year cuz they made it clear they only offer 1-3 year deals for FAs
Your entire premise is flawed. Bumgarner: 4 starts in NLDS, 4.43 ERA. Hamels: 5 starts in NLDS, 1.82 ERA. Hamels gives a team a better chance of reaching the NLCS than Bumgarner.
Some of you guys (DMC and braveshomer know him) might not be familiar with this poster. During the off-season he was determined that the Braves needed Bumgarner to make it to or through maybe, the NLCS. His performance at the most pitcher friendly stadium and all the warning signs of steep regression didn’t matter to him. He figured all the advice and guidance for our young arms would justify any price.
Now he pops back up with, I guess, an I told you so which is justified purely by hindsight.
Really happenstance in the moment. Nothing says Bum doesn’t throw a 5+ ERA in the desert and Hamels doesn’t make 10 starts of sub 3 baseball.
id be shocked if MadBum doesnt hit the IL at some point this year
Just keep him off his horses
Let tucker Davidson and Kyle Wright round it out and make it a 6 man rotation.
I think they should keep Bryce Wilson up and have Newman/Wilson, Wright/Davidson 2 out of every 5 rotation trips. Keeps them fresh, and gives them solid work. I don’t think any of them need to see a batting order more than twice yet. Also gives some nice lefty/righty splits so teams can’t overly platoon.
The Braves should of signed Mad Bum. Hamels was givin’ to much $ on a 1 year deal plain and simple. Their probably going to get one of the wild cards. Signing Mad Bum instead of Hamels probably could of made them division winners.
Hamels 1/18M (AAV: 18M)
Bumgarner: 5/85M (AAV: 17M)
Don’t forget this year is prorated, so Hamels should only get about $6.6M. Sorry, but you take a chance and not be saddled by a bad contract for years.
Easy for you to say something like that NOW.
MadBum tossed a 3.91 ERA but his 4.25 xFIP confirms that however good we think his performance was in 2019, he was significantly aided by one of the three best stadiums in baseball.
The Braves saw the writing on the wall and walked away. The Braves very well might have tried to sign him at 2 or maybe even 3 years, but 4 years is huge for a pitcher that’s already regressing. I don’t think he is going to be good in the first year of his contract let alone year 3 or 4.
Signing Hamels was a mistake, but not nearly as errant as signing MadBum would’ve been.
As it stands, the Braves will probably get little to nothing from Hamels on the year. It is, however, a one year deal. They’re out from under it at the end of this year. It’s far from egregious.
Signing MadBum would’ve meant over paying a #3 starter for 4 or 5 years, and that’s best case. Worse, he regresses, and you’re on the hook for an expensive back of the rotation piece for years.
The best decision would’ve been to re-up Donaldson, and bring in Smith and Ozuna. The money would’ve been close. You roll with the young pitching, and see what you have; while trying to bludgeon the other team on the scoreboard.
I didn’t like 4 years of Donaldson either but that would have been better than 4 of MadBum. I like the way you think though. Just because MadBum was a bad idea doesn’t mean Hamels was a good one.
Upon his signing, I recall MadBum saying he and his wife had a place in Scottsdale and he only wanted to play for the D-backs. GM Mike Hazen confirmed this when he said they weren’t even looking to sign MadBum but that he fell in their laps.
The smarter option would’ve been to resign Teherán just because I feel AA was set on acquiring the best pitcher on a one-year deal.
I agree that a healthy Hamels is better than a healthy Teherán (especially on a start-to-start consistently basis), but a player’s best ability is their availability. There’s very few pitchers who’ve been as reliable as Julio since 2013. Yes, he was maddening at times but he was a fine option to soak up innings in the early months instead of paying more money for an older injury risk.
Why do teams keep paying Hamels big money? He is held together with string and duct tape.
You don’t know what you’re talking about, clearly.
What? That’s insane. If he was held together by duct tape, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I’m thinking the Rangers cut corners and tried to use scotch tape.
He’s been one of the most durable starters in the league since his debut in 2007. Please get a clue.
I really wanted to disagree with you bucket.. because I’m a Braves fan. But Hamels has actually done a pretty good job of staying on the field.
2019 27 starts IP 141.2
2018 32 starts IP 190.2
2017 24 starts IP 148
2016 32 Starts IP 200
That’s just about par for the course these days. You might start to think he goes all out one year and then his body pays the price for it the next, limiting his ability to take innings because of injuries.
If that’s duct tape tell me where to get some! Look up his pre all star break for 2019 (6-3 with 2.98 ERA and close to 100 IP) and his stats after being traded to the Cubs in 2018 (4-0 in August with a 0.69 era). He’s worth the money if he’s healthy
Hamels showing signs of being a bad investment. He doesn’t have much motivation to play this year with the prorated pay. Could fake these injuries until the season ends and collect a nice check for little effort. Maybe this is his ultimate get back at the Braves for his Phillies days
Yes, he is Dr. Evil taking $6.6M from ATL. They’ll be devastated. smh
Oh relax… it’s clear I’m joking. Loosen up, this covid world has us all saying dumb things and thinking it’s funny
Getting back against the braves? You must’ve forgotten the combined no-hitter that he was the starter for
Umm so I have forgotten that and can’t remember at all… but I’ll say robbing a team of money is more of a “get back” than a no no.. :/. My opinion
Let Tucker Davidson have the spot. I believe he’s gonna be something special
I believe Bartollo would be something special.
Yeah in a retirement home, poppin wheelies
Remember when I said it wasn’t a good sign he was already dealing with issues back in early March and all of the Braves homers who refuse to ever criticize management tried to pretend it was no big deal since he was only projected to miss 1 start at the time?
Yeah well hate to say I told you so. It wasn’t a good sign back then, and lo and behold he’s broken down again.
Can’t wait for the Braves to sign Arrieta to a 1 year $18 mil deal next offseason!!!
On a more serious note, I wouldn’t be surprised if the ole 1 and done veteran is nearing an end for the Braves pitching rotation. It’s starting to get crowded with these young guys. This years gonna be a big year for those kids to show if they are ready, and if so, the vets might be taking a back seat
Two years from now I’m hoping the Braves rotation is Soroka, Fried, Anderson, Newcomb, and Wright.
I was thinking Bauer 1 year and $27 million
have fun with that overpay
I still wish the Rangers could’ve gotten more for Hamels in 18′. Though one of the minor prospects we got for him ended up being traded for Brock Burke the next year, so I guess it evens itself out.
As for his current situation, it’s not bad. I know when he was with Texas he never had major injuries, though he would still get a sprain or something minor, but not very often. Just like all of his other injuries, I expect him to come back very quickly.
Cole was a good risk. It just hasn’t worked out. At least we aren’t paying him through 2024.
Hamels looks so skinny – like he’s wasting away. No wonder he is hurt all of the time.
You sound like my Hispanic grandmother pappyvw.
It looks like it was definitely a great decision not to sign Mad Bum now? The former tomahawk team could of won their division if they would of
Yes, now that the season still hasn’t started, we have a definitive answer about whether or not a 5 yr/$85 mil investment would’ve been worth it. That’s how that works.
MadBum is on his last leg already. he’ll never live up to that contract
Missing the tomahawk chop already