Inside the Phillies: Who will land Hamels?

CHICAGO - The moment Pat Gillick and Ruben Amaro Jr. opted against an offseason trade of Cole Hamels, this coming week was all but sealed as the most important of the Phillies' 2015 season.

Now it's here, and it comes fresh off Hamels' first career no-hitter.

The ace's future with his longtime team hangs in the balance, as the front office triumvirate of team president Gillick, general manager Amaro, and incoming president Andy MacPhail weigh a potentially franchise-altering decision. Closer Jonathan Papelbon and outfielder Ben Revere are potential trade chips, too, but only Hamels could bring back a package considerable enough to expedite the rebuilding of the Phillies.

The suitors have been speculated about ad nauseam since the winter, when the ace-less Boston Red Sox for months were the most-mentioned fit. For a time, around late April, when Adam Wainwright tore his Achilles tendon, one could argue the St. Louis Cardinals made a ton of sense, or perhaps the Texas Rangers after they lost Yu Darvish in March. The Los Angeles Dodgers, flush with money and prospects, have long appeared a great trading partner.

Finally, come Friday at 4 p.m., if not earlier, Phillies fans will get an answer as to where Hamels will pitch in August, September, and October. It might, to the dismay of those eager to move on (maybe fewer after Saturday), be in Philadelphia, though the looming free-agent class of starting pitchers - it is stacked - still makes that seem unlikely.

The trade market continues to take shape as the days until the deadline wane. A decision on Hamels could very well go down to the final hours or minutes, with the Phillies waiting for the best offer.

Entering the weekend, the likeliest landing spots were the Dodgers, the Chicago Cubs, and, despite their last-place standing, the Red Sox. The Rangers could still be a fit, too. The Dodgers have for weeks made optimal sense. CSNChicago.com reported Thursday night that the Cubs have indeed discussed Hamels with the Phillies.

The Cubs, who on Saturday saw the 31-year-old lefthander became the first pitcher to no-hit them in 49 seasons, boast a farm system still among the best in baseball, despite all of their recent promotions. They have dangled infielders Javier Baez and Starlin Castro as trade bait, according to ESPN.

Cubs prospects worth keeping an eye on are Billy McKinney and Albert Almora, their top two outfield prospects, and Dan Vogelbach, a power-hitting first baseman blocked at the major-league level by Anthony Rizzo. C.J. Edwards and Duane Underwood are two of their top minor-league arms. Ultimately, the Cubs would appear to have more than enough resources to put together a prospect package.

Although the ideal trade for the Phillies probably involves a high-upside bat as the centerpiece, that could prove difficult to pull off in an age in which pitchers are dominating and teams are hoarding their position player prospects. Perhaps a Hamels trade could bring back a touted pitcher as the centerpiece with a couple of bats to accompany him. That wouldn't be "settling" on a return, as long as the pitcher has legitimate front-of-the-rotation potential. Aaron Nola needs company in the Phillies' future rotation, after all.

The Dodgers could theoretically make such a deal built around a highly regarded pitching prospect. They won't part with shortstop Corey Seager, the top prospect in baseball, or 18-year-old stud righthander Julio Urias. But their system, like that of the Cubs and Red Sox, is deep.

Behind Urias, Los Angeles boasts Jose De Leon, a 22-year-old righthander with 132 strikeouts in 94 innings of high-A and double-A ball this year. Perhaps you start there and add a bat or two, maybe a lower-level but high-upside outfielder such as Alex Verdugo or Cody Bellinger.

Amid all the reports dating to the winter of the Phillies' exorbitant asking price, there should be fair-value deals to be made as the clock ticks down to 4 p.m. Friday. The Red Sox, too, have plenty of prospects to build a package around, such as recent Futures Game participants Rafael Devers, an 18-year-old single-A third baseman, and Manuel Margot, a 20-year-old double-A outfielder.

It's worth repeating: Holding on to Hamels beyond Friday would be the wrong move for the Phillies for the second consecutive July, despite his performance Saturday. Once the baseball calendar reaches the winter, the value of their top chip, then going into his age 32 season, will be weighed against an excellent free-agent class - David Price, Johnny Cueto, Jordan Zimmermann, Jeff Samardzija, and likely Zack Greinke, the current National League Cy Young front-runner, presuming he opts out of his contract with the Dodgers.

When push comes to shove, the Dodgers, Cubs, Red Sox, or Rangers should find it prudent to get ahead of the free-agent market and strike a deal for Hamels. It's time for the Phils to cash in. They need to use the most important six days of the season to weigh the best of what should amount to equitable offers.

@jakemkaplan