Chicago Cubs Great Officially Retires From MLB

Cole Hamels helped the Chicago Cubs reach the 2018 playoffs after a deadline deal with the Texas Rangers.

Former Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Cole Hamels announced his retirement from baseball on Friday, officially ending a 15-year career.

Hamels had not pitched in the Majors since one appearance with the Atlanta Braves in 2020. He was with the San Diego Padres and was placed on the club’s voluntarily retired list. He signed a minor-league deal with the Padres earlier this season.

Hamels spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons with the Cubs after the Texas Rangers traded Hamels to Chicago at the deadline. The Cubs gave up Eddie Butler, Rollie Lacy, and Alexander Ovalles for the ace and he made quite the Cubs debut, striking out nine hitters and earning the win. In his first five starts with Chicago, he went 4-0 with a 0.79 ERA.

The Cubs won 95 games in 2018 and secured a Wild Card berth with Hamels’ help. He finished 4-3 with a 2.36 ERA in 12 starts with the Cubs.

In 2019 Hamels started 27 games and went 7-7 with a 3.81 ERA. The Cubs won 84 games but failed to make the playoffs.

Hamels signed a one-year, $18 million deal with Atlanta for the 2020 season. He threw 3.1 innings in one game late in the season after missing most of the COVID-shortened season with a shoulder injury.

Hamels started his career with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2006 as a 22-year-old and won 114 games with the Phillies. He was a four-time All-Star, a 2008 World Series champion with the Phillies and earned both the NLCS and World Series MVP trophies that season.

For his career he went 163-122 with a 3.43 ERA.

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