Cole Hamels, Starting Pitcher, San Diego Padres


Date of Birth: 12/27/1983
Birthplace: San Diego, California
Nickname: Hollywood

Cole Hamels, starting pitcher for the San Diego Padres, was first drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2002. He played in the minor leagues starting in 2003 but injuries limited his playing time in 2004 and 2005. He finished his minor league career with a 14-4 record.

Hamels joined the Phillies in 2006, pitching 132.1 innings in 23 games. He finished the season with a 9-8 record and a 4.08 ERA. He had a better season in 2007, finishing with a 15-5 record and a 3.39 ERA.

The 2008 season was perhaps Hamels best one. That year, he pitched a career high 227.1 innings in 33 games and he finished with a 3.09 ERA and a 14-10 record. He won the Babe Ruth award that year. His 2008 post-season performance was even better, earning him the National League Championship series MVP award and the World Series MVP award. In the 2008 post-season, Hamels pitched 35.0 innings in 5 games and he had a 1.80 ERA with a 4-0 record and 30 strikeouts to 9 walks.

In December, 2010, Hamels signed a five-year, $120 million contract with the Phillies. The following year, he earned his salary by finishing the 2011 season with a 14-9 record and a career low 2.79 ERA.

Hamels had another strong season in 2012 with career highs in wins (17 to 6 losses) and strikeouts (216 to 52 walks) and a 3.05 ERA. In 2013, he finished with an 8-14 record and a 3.60 ERA. He finished the 2014 season with a 9-9 record, 198 strikeouts to 59 walks, and a 2.46 ERA in 204.2 innings in 30 games.

Hamels was traded to the Texas Rangers on July 31, 2015. He pitched a no-hitter against the Cubs on July 25th in his last game with the Phillies. He finished the season with a 13-8 record, 215 strikeouts to 62 walks, and a 3.65 ERA in 212.1 innings in 20 games with the Phillies and 12 games with the Rangers. In the postseason, he pitched 13.1 innings in 2 games and he gave up 10 hits, including 2 home runs, and 4 earned runs.

Hamels had a strong season in 2016, finishing with a 3.32 ERA. In 200.2 innings in 32 games, he had 15 wins to 5 losses and 200 strikeouts to 77 walks. He pitched 3.1 innings in 1 postseason game and he gave up 6 hits and 7 runs.

In 2017, Hamels pitched 148.0 innings in 24 games with the Rangers. He finished the season with a 4.20 ERA, 11 wins to 6 losses, and 105 strikeouts to 53 walks.

Hamels was traded to the Chicago Cubs on July 27, 2018. He finished the season with 9 wins and 12 losses, 188 strikeouts to 65 walks, and a 3.78 ERA in 20 games with the Rangers and 12 games with the Cubs. In the postseason, he pitched just 2.0 innings in 1 game and he gave up 2 hits and no runs.

Hamels spent time on the DL in 2019 with a left oblique strain. He finished the season with 7 wins and 7 losses, 143 strikeouts to 56 walks, and a 3.81 ERA in 141.2 innings in 27 games.

Hamels became a free agent on October 31, 2019. He signed a one-year, $18 million contract with the Atlanta Braves on December 4th. He pitched in just 3.1 innings in one game in 2020.

Hamels elected free agency on October 28, 2020. He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 4, 2021. He went on the IL on August 16th with a shoulder injury. He didn't play with the Dodgers in 2021.

Hamels became a free agent on November 3, 2021. He didn't play professional baseball in 2022.

Hamels signed a minor league contract with the Padres on February 20, 2023.

Statistics for Hamels in fourteen seasons (2006-2019) in the major leagues include:

  • 10 seasons with 30 or more games, with a high of 33 in 2008, 2010, 2013
  • 8 seasons with over 200 innings pitched, with a high of 227.1 in 2008
  • 11 seasons with over 150 strikeouts, with highs of 216 in 2012 and 215 in 2015

Career pitching statistics for Hamels through 2019 include:

  • 423 games played
  • 2,698.0 innings pitched
  • 163-122 win-loss record
  • 2,560 strikeouts to 767 walks
  • 3.43 ERA

Charitable Work

Hamels established The Hamels Foundation in 2008. The purpose of the foundation is to support education in the United States and Malawi, Africa. Information on the foundation is available at thehamelsfoundation.org.

Personal Life

Hamels and his wife Heidi were married on December 31, 2006. They have two sons and a daughter they adopted from Ethiopia.

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Cole Hamels
ESPN - Cole Hamels