Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels has Tigers on his no-trade list
Philadelphia Phillies starter Cole Hamels has been the center of a lot of trade rumors of the past few weeks.
But there are 20 teams that Hamels could block a trade to, and the Detroit Tigers are one of them, according to Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly:
"According to sources, Hamels' nine-team "trade-to" list consists of two American League teams (Yankees and Rangers) and seven National League teams (Nationals, Cardinals, Braves, Padres, Dodgers, Cubs and Mets)."
The Tigers, of course, are not on the list, meaning Hamels could veto a potential deal involving Detroit.
Players often compile these lists as a leverage point for future salary negotiations, and not necessarily because they simply don't way to play for a particular team, as explained by Detroit Jock City:
"Sometimes a player wants to guarantee an immediate extension with the new team, he might want an option year picked up, or he might want a team-friendly option year declined in order to hit free agency sooner.
"It's possible that all Hamels would be willing to waive his no-trade rights to a team like the Tigers if they simply guaranteed the option year at the end of the contract. The option year makes for a cheaper year at "just" $14 million, but Hamels will be 35 in 2019 so he'd be guaranteeing himself a nice payout in the event of injury or ineffectiveness."
The Phillies are looking for a king's ransom in return for Hamels, so if the Tigers want him, they'll have to pony up.
(h/t Detroit Jock City)
