The MLB Trade Deadline is coming up in less than four weeks and at the start of action around baseball on Thursday the Phillies are 1.5 Games out of first place in the NL East along with one game ahead of the Dodgers for the second NL Wild Card spot.  There have been reports about the Phillies potential interest in Padres Relief Pitcher Brad Hand and Royals Third Baseman Mike Moustakas along with Rangers Starting Pitcher Cole Hamels.  Hamels is a name that has been discussed often in part because of the history he has with the Phillies as an All-Star selection three times in the Red and White Pinstripes along with winning the 2008 World Series MVP Award.  In 2018, Hamels has a 4-7 in 17 starts with a 4.07 ERA; despite allowing 20 Home Runs this season, Hamels still has a .245 Batting Average Against and his 9.15 Strikeouts Per Nine Innings is the highest he has posted since the 2015 season.  Hamels currently has a higher Strikeouts Per Nine Innings in 2018 than Aaron Nola (9.0), Zach Eflin (8.9), and Jake Arrieta (6.8).

USA Today Baseball Writer Steve Gardner joined Rich Quinones on Thursday discussing the potential of a reunion of the Phillies with their former Ace Left Handed Starter:

"I think there’s obviously interest; the history certainly would welcome that, both sides would welcome that. He has ties with the area still, I think that’s not a bad idea. Certainly getting a left-hander in (their pitching rotation) would help as well.  And experience, hat’s the other thing - outside of (Jake) Arietta and Carlos Santana, (Phillies are) really relatively young and inexperienced especially when it comes to the postseason. So to get somebody who has been there, done that (and) has a ring would be valuable not only from what he can do on the field, but also in the clubhouse."

Checkout what Gardner had to say about Jake Arrieta's struggles, the Nationals being seven games out of first place in the NL East, and more MLB talk

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