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Sources: Rangers finalizing blockbuster deal for Phillies ace Cole Hamels

The Texas Rangers are finalizing a blockbuster trade for ace Cole Hamels that would send six players to the Philadelphia Phillies, ending their long dalliance with dealing one of the best pitchers in franchise history and fortifying the Rangers for 2016 and beyond, sources with knowledge of the situation told Yahoo Sports.

Five prospects – catcher Jorge Alfaro, outfielder Nick Williams, and pitchers Jake Thompson, Alec Asher and Jerad Eickhoff – along with left-hander Matt Harrison are expected to go to Philadelphia for Hamels, left-handed reliever Jake Diekman and cash, sources said.

Because of Texas’ deep cache of prospects – the Rangers didn’t include their three most highly regarded, Joey Gallo, Nomar Mazara and Chi-Chi Gonzalez – it emerged as a favorite for Hamels in recent weeks as Philadelphia upped its efforts to trade him. The complexity of the final deal is evident, as Philadelphia surrendered an ace and took back the $28 million Harrison is owed over the next two seasons in exchange for a group with significant upside.

Hamels, 31, joins a Rangers team loaded with high-end talent, from Prince Fielder and Adrian Beltre to Rougned Odor and the returning Yu Darvish. Not only was Hamels desirable because of his pedigree, with a 3.30 career ERA and five consecutive 200-inning seasons, but his contract for three years at $76.5 million – with an option year for $14 million more – is cheap compared to the expected free-agent prices this offseason.

The Phillies, whose unwillingness to trade Hamels last season sparked criticism, finally pulled the trigger Wednesday night, jettisoning the left-hander who was their finest pitcher since Steve Carlton. Philadelphia, by far the worst team in baseball, is in full rebuild mode, with new team president Andy MacPhail set to take over and reshape the team around a core that includes third baseman Maikel Franco, shortstop J.P. Crawford and pitcher Aaron Nola.

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Philadelphia, whose farm system was beefed up by recent drafting-and-development successes, gets an infusion of talent from the Rangers, some with higher upside than others. The biggest prizes are Alfaro, 22, and Williams, 21, who could fill positions of need with the Phillies as early as next season.

Alfaro is a power-hitting, laser-armed catcher whose plate-discipline issues left scouts calling him a boom-or-bust prospect. While Williams is far from a sure thing, too, because of his issues with walks, his hitting talent is not in doubt, with one scout calling him a future .300 hitter.

Thompson, Asher and Eickhoff are big right-handed pitchers on the cusp of the major leagues, giving the Phillies the sort of near-term depth they lacked before the deal. Harrison’s inclusion was to offset the cost of Hamels, though the 29-year-old has started three games in his return from back woes that at one point were considered to possibly be career-ending.

The Rangers remain likely to trade starter Yovani Gallardo, though with the Los Angeles Dodgers’ potential acquisition of Alex Wood and Mat Latos in a three-way trade still being consummated, it could rid them of a potential destination. Texas’ play for the future, with both a Hamels and Gallardo deal, positions them well for 2016, when it could start the season with a rotation that includes Hamels, Darvish, Martin Perez, Derek Holland and Gonzalez.

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