by Rowan Kavner
The Dodgers signed four-time All-Star pitcher Cole Hamels to a one-year contract through the 2021 season.
The 37-year-old left-hander returns to the Major Leagues after making one start last season for the Braves. In his 15-year career, Hamels is a combined 163–122 with a 3.43 ERA and 1.18 WHIP.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers designated right-handed pitcher Yefry Ramírez for assignment. Ramírez made one scoreless appearance for the Dodgers this year.
Hamels has amassed 2,560 strikeouts in 2,698 career innings, making stops with the Phillies (2006–15), Rangers (2015–18), Cubs (2018–19) and Braves (2020). His last appearance in the big leagues came on Sept. 16, 2020, at Baltimore. In his last full season, Hamels went 7–7 with a 3.81 ERA and 1.39 WHIP while striking out 143 batters in 141 2/3 innings for the Cubs in 2019.
The left-hander adds another veteran option in the Dodgers’ shorthanded rotation whenever he’s built up after throwing only 3 1/3 Major League innings the last two years. With Clayton Kershaw (forearm) and Tony Gonsolin (shoulder) both still out, Walker Buehler, Julio Urías, David Price and Max Scherzer — who’s making his Dodger debut Wednesday — are the Dodgers’ only available starters.
Roberts described Kershaw and Gonsolin “in idle mode” in their recovery.
“Neither one is playing catch,” Roberts said. “We’ve got to get the pain to dissipate. When they pick up a baseball and start their progression, it’ll be news. But right now, we’re just kind of holding right now.”
Before the Dodgers made their move for Hamels official, Roberts said adding another veteran starter “certainly would be helpful.”
Hamels won a championship with the Phillies and was named World Series MVP in 2008. He has pitched in 17 playoff games and has a career 3.41 postseason ERA.
“To have a guy you know you can trust and go deep in games is important,” Roberts said. “We’ve always talked about depth, and specifically to pitching, we’ve tapped into that depth where we’re at right now.”
Dodgers sign four-time All-Star Cole Hamels was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
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