ATLANTA - Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos believes left-handed pitcher Cole Hamels can help the team win big next season - and help the club's young starters have more success for years to come.
Hamels, who turns 36 this month, agreed Wednesday to an $18 million, one-year contract with the busy Braves, one of the more active MLB teams this offseason. Anthopoulos said young Braves starters Max Fried and Mike Soroka will benefit from Hamels' 14 seasons in the majors.
"How you quantify that is hard, but I think there is real value," Anthopoulos said. "We're signing Cole first and foremost because we think he's going to help us win a lot of games and hopefully get to the World Series. No doubt in my mind I think Max Fried will get better just by seeing him and being around him. I think Soroka will get better."
The Braves have won two straight National League East division titles but failed to win a playoff series either year.
Hamels said the Braves "were one of six teams I was really following and really rooting for" in free agency. He said Anthopoulos was the first executive to initiate serious discussions.
"I reward the first team that actually does what they say they're doing," Hamels said, adding when a financial agreement was reached that "boom, we were there and it was going to happen."
Hamels said he is impressed by the Braves' young talent.
"I've always been following them in hopes of maybe having an opportunity to pitch with some of those guys," he said. " I think what I can provide might be beneficial."
Anthopoulos said he had interest in Hamels before the 2018 season, when the pitcher signed with the Chicago Cubs, and again last year before the club exercised a team option.
Anthopoulos moved quickly this offseason after first addressing two other needs in free agency. Atlanta gave left-handed reliever Will Smith, a possible closer, a $40 million, three-year contract, and the Braves added catcher Travis d'Arnaud for a $16 million, two-year deal.
Atlanta also has re-signed four players: outfielder Nick Markakis, catcher Tyler Flowers and relievers Chris Martin and Darren O'Day. Anthopoulos said he needed to be active because the Braves had a large number of expiring contracts.
"It hasn't been by design," Anthopoulos said. "We had a lot of free agents so we had a lot of work to do."
Anthopoulos said he's still looking for help at third base after Josh Donaldson became a free agent, and the GM didn't rule out the possibility of adding another starting pitcher. Hamels replaces Julio Teheran, who became a free agent after his $12 million team option was declined.
Hamels joins the 22-year-old Soroka, Fried, 25, and Mike Foltynewicz, 28, in the projected rotation. Anthopoulos said left-hander Sean Newcomb, who spent most of the 2019 season in the bullpen, will be given a chance to win a starting job.
Other contenders for the final spot in the rotation include Bryse Wilson, Kyle Wright and Ian Anderson, one of the organization's top prospects. The one-year deal with Hamels leaves room for Anderson to move into the rotation in 2021, if not before.
Hamels was 7-7 with a 3.81 ERA in 27 starts in 2019, and he has 163 wins and a 3.42 ERA in 14 seasons in the majors. He began his career with Philadelphia and was a three-time All-Star in 10 seasons with the Phillies. He was traded to the Texas Rangers in July 2015 - he was an American League All-Star in 2016 - and was traded to the Cubs in July 2018.
He finished fifth in the NL Cy Young Award voting in 2011, when he was 14-9 with a 2.79 ERA. He was 17-6 with a 3.05 ERA in 2012.