Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Every time a Cole Hamels trade appears imminent for the Philadelphia Phillies, something happens that puts it a little further off. That something occurred when the Texas Rangers were forced to call third base prospect Joey Gallo up from the minor leagues.
Like catcher Blake Swihart with the Boston Red Sox, the Phillies have demanded Gallo to be included in any deal for Hamels. Like Swihart, though, a hasty call-up from Triple-A and subsequent success in MLB has probably made Gallo untouchable now in any trade.
That doesn’t mean a deal with the Phillies is off the table, but it does mean that the Phillies will want the Rangers’ next two top prospects for Hamels. That includes power hitter Nomar Mazara and one of two other players — pitcher Jake Thompson or outfielder Nick Williams. Mazara is the centerpiece of the deal because the Phillies need power.
From the Phillies’ perspective, Gallo being untouchable is not as problematic as it seems given the breakout season their own third base prospect, Maikel Franco, is having. If the Phillies got Gallo, they’d almost have to shift him to another position.
At two levels last year, Thompson went 10-5 with a 3.12 ERA and 130 strikeouts over 129.2 innings. Mazara also spent his year in two different levels, and hit 22 homers with a .274 average. Williams hit .292 in high Single-A last year with 13 homers and 68 RBIs. If the Rangers decide that’s too steep a price, the Phillies will go elsewhere as they should and gamble on getting what they want by the trade deadline.
If the Rangers really want Hamels, a pitcher they need, Mazara is the first part of the package they need to offer up.
Mike Gibson is a Phillies writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @papreps , “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
