Twenty million dollars is a pretty hefty amount for one season of a 34-year-old pitcher with an awful lot of mileage on his arm. Not to mention the fact the Chicago Cubs seem destined to blow past the luxury threshold this winter. The smart move would be to decline the option and work out a short-term deal.
In 12 starts with the Cubs, Hamels pitched to a 2.36 ERA. Across 76 1/3 innings, he gave up just 61 hits, walking 23, striking out 74 and allowing just six home runs, a low number compared to the 23 he gave up with the Rangers.