Cubs exercise option on Hamels, trade Smyly to Texas

CHICAGO >> The Chicago Cubs exercised their $20 million option on Cole Hamels on Friday, solidifying their rotation for next year, and traded fellow left-hander Drew Smyly to the Texas Rangers.

Hamels, who turns 35 in December, went 4-3 with a 2.36 ERA in 12 starts after he was acquired in a July 27 trade with Texas — a frequent trade partner for Chicago since Theo Epstein took over the Cubs’ front office in 2011. Had the Cubs declined the option and paid a $6 million buyout, the Rangers would have paid the Cubs an additional $6 million.

The 29-year-old Smyly is heading to Texas after missing his only year in Chicago as part of his recovery from Tommy John surgery in June 2017. The Cubs also parted with a player to be named in exchange for a player to be named.

Hamels gives manager Joe Maddon a deep group of starting pitchers as the Cubs try for their fifth consecutive playoff appearance. Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, Jose Quintana and Yu Darvish also are expected to return, with Mike Montgomery and Tyler Chatwood waiting in the wings.

Hamels, a former first-round pick, made his major league debut with the Phillies in 2006. He is 156-114 with a 3.40 ERA in 13 big league seasons.

He was working on perhaps the worst season of his career when Chicago got him from Texas for right-hander Eddie Butler, minor league pitcher Rollie Lacy and a player to be named. He was 5-9 with a 4.72 ERA in 20 starts with the last-place Rangers at the time of the trade, but the Cubs felt a change of scenery and a pennant race might help him get back on track. They were right.

Hamels had an instant impact with Chicago, going 4-0 with a sparkling 0.79 ERA in his first five starts with the team.

The option completes the deal Hamels signed with the Phillies in July 2012, bringing the total value to $158 million for seven years.

Marlins exec: Realmuto ‘knows how we feel’

MIAMI >> Miami Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill dismissed talk about trading J.T. Realmuto with a joke Friday, noting the All-Star catcher may well be in a new uniform next year because there are rumors about the team changing its logo.

Realmuto’s agent, Jeff Berry, predicted this week that his client will be with a different team by spring training.

“Agents can say whatever they want to say,” Hill said. “J.T. knows how we feel about him.”

But Hill declined to say whether Realmuto informed the Marlins he won’t sign a long-term contract with them, as Berry said.

“Any conversations we have with our players are going to stay in house,” Hill said.

And Hill acknowledged the possibility of tempting trade offers.