MLB Rumor: Rays Secure Relief Pete Fairbanks.Cole Hamels pitches team in another comeback attempt

With the Hall of Fame season comfortably over and spring training on the horizon, there’s a long dead spot on the calendar when it comes to MLB news. Still, the roster continues to sort itself out before the pitchers and catchers report, so stay tuned for the latest news and rumors.

Hamels Throws, Clearly Impressive

Cole Hamels was the last player in the 2019 Cubs rotation. He made his 1st start in 2020, but most baseball fans probably thought he was retired. Instead, he seems to be on the road to a comeback. He pitched for the team and scouts on Friday. According to John Heymanand looked “insanely good.”

Hamels is currently 39 years old. In his 27 starts in 2019, he recorded his 7 wins and 7 losses, 3.81 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and 141 2/3 innings in which he struck out 143. He suffered a shoulder injury in 2020 and another arm problem in 2021 that hampered his comeback.

Rays ‘extend’ Fairbanks

The Rays and reliever Pete Fairbanks have agreed to a three-year, $14 million contract extension, according to ESPN. The deal reportedly includes his $7 million option or his $1 million buyout for the fourth year. It’s technically described as an “extension,” but that doesn’t mean the Rays will be in control for years. Instead, the agreement only covers the final three years in the Fairbanks arbitration, giving both sides certainty of costs in addition to the ability to avoid the cumbersome arbitration process.

Fairbanks returned late last season from a partial latissimus dorsi tear and showed no signs of lingering problems. He had a 1.13 ERA, a 0.67 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts in 24 innings.

Kennedy returns to Rangers

Right-handed reliever Ian Kennedy was the Rangers’ closer in 2021 before being traded to the Phillies. He served out of the Diamondbacks’ bullpen in 2022, but he announced on Instagram Thursday that he was back in Texas.

Kennedy, 38, had a 5.36 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP in 50 1/3 innings last season. But ahead of the 2021 trade, he pitched to a 2.51 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP, and with the Rangers he had 35 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings.

Knott has signed right-handed reliever Alex Colomé to a minor league deal, the club announced.

Colomé, 34, was named an All-Star in 2016 and led the Majors with 47 saves in 2017. He was great with the White Sox in 2020, but had a mediocre 2021 season with the Twins. Last season with the Rockies, he had a 5.74 ERA and a 1.68 WHIP in his 47 innings.

Infielder Matt Duffy has signed a minor league contract with the Royals, according to a team announcement. In his 77 games for the Angels last season, Duffy hit .250/.308/.311 (77 OPS+).

Cubs sign Duffy

The Cubs have agreed to a deal with right-handed relief pitcher Tyler Duffy. The Athletic reports.

Duffy, 32, has spent all eight MLB seasons with the Twins. He appeared in 40 games last season with a 4.91 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. But he’s been pretty productive since 2019-21.