PT TOMORROW: NL Central—Will the Cubs pick up Hamels's 2019 option?

Chicago Cubs

In six starts since joining the Cubs via trade at the end of July, Cole Hamels (LHP, CHC) has pitched his best baseball of the 2018 season, going 4-0 with a 0.69 ERA, 8.8 Dom, 3.5 Cmd, 2.90 xERA, and 123 BPV. He's also raised his ground ball rate to 56% during that span, the best rate he's had in any month this year, while lowering his fly ball rate to a season-low 19%, and pumping out an average fastball speed of 93.0 mph, which, you guessed it, is also a new monthly high for 2018. He's also ramped up usage of his four-seam fastball to 41.2%, compared to 26.8% on the year; that harkens back to 2007-2013, when his four-seam usage was 40% or higher every year.

It has led to some speculation about whether the Cubs will pick...

Almost!

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