Philadelphia Phillies Legend Teases Possible New Role with Franchise

There's a chance the Philadelphia Phillies could utilize one of their franchise legends now that his playing days are officially over.

Jun 21, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels speaks during a ceremony before the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citizens Bank Park / Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

This past Friday night, the Philadelphia Phillies and their fans were able to celebrate the career of one of this franchise's best pitchers ever.

Cole Hamels officially retired in August 2023 when his attempt to pitch in the Majors one last time failed, but the ceremony on Friday allowed him to celebrate his career with the organization who drafted him back in 2002.

It was a great event, bringing players from past generations into the mix and seeing Hamels give the proverbial handoff to this team that is searching to bring home the Phillies' third ever World Series title.

Now that his playing days are over, the 40-year-old will now have to figure out what is next.

Baseball has always been part of his life, getting drafted by Philadelphia out of high school and competing professionally until this past season, so it shouldn't be a surprise that he is considering something within the game as his next endeavor.

What that might be is unknown, but it could come with the team he grew up with.

"They have a great group of pitchers here. This is a great team. So if it fits and there's an opportunity, I will definitely look at it. But everything has to fit in the right way. I don't want to step on people's toes. I just want to be an asset," Hamels told Matt Gelb of The Athletic.

The Phillies have stayed connected with players from the 2008 championship team in the past with Jimmy Rollins hired in a ceremonious role, Matt Stairs serving as the hitting coach in 2017, and Shane Victorino being a guest instructor during Spring Training.

What type of asset Hamels might be for Philadelphia could come in the form of mentorship, something he received from Jaime Moyer during the early part of his playing days.

"I admire Jamie Moyer for what he did for me because, I mean, he was in his 40s and I was 22, 23. He was able to communicate with me. Now I'm in his position," he said.

Hamels knows that anything he might take on would be a commitment, but if that's something he wants to do, then he would be ready to give it his all.

"Anything that I like to do, I like to put full effort in. But I know there's a learning curve in everything you do. The front office is different. Coaching and teaching are different. Just having the opportunity to look at what I might be good at — where I can add my experience and expertise," he added.

If the franchise legend does want to get involved in some fashion, it would be hard to turn him down.

Not only was he an elite pitcher, but he also has played across multiple eras and has experienced all the new things that have come into this game firsthand.

Hamels would certainly be an asset.

What he decides to do in the next phase of his career will be seen.