Report: Texas Rangers to acquire Cole Hamels

10:40 EST: Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports that Jake Thompson is also in the deal, making it Hamels and Diekman for Thompson, Harrison, Alfaro, Williams, Asher and Eichkoff.

10:35 EST: Sullivan reports the deal is done, with Hamels and Diekman going to Texas for Alfaro, Williams, Harrison, Asher and Eickhoff. Nicholas is not in the deal.

10:30 EST: Sullivan reports that the Rangers will get pitcher Jacob Diekman in the deal, while pitcher Alec Asher will be going to the Phillies. Matt Harrison is potentially Philly-bound as well.

10:12 EST: Texas minor leaguers Nick Williams and Brett Nicholas have been pulled from their respective  games, CSN Philadelphia’s reports that top catching prospect Jorge Alfaro will also be going to the Phillies, while Sullivan says that Jerad Eickhoff will be involved. Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram adds that the deal involves multiple players from both teams (meaning Hamels isn’t the only player going to Texas), and that the Rangers will be getting cash from the Phillies.

9:51 EST: T.R Sullivan of MLB.com reports that the Texas Rangers are nearing a deal to acquire Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels. Sullivan cautions that the potential deal would likely not be finished until tomorrow.

Should the Rangers acquire Hamels, it’d give them one of the better one-two punches in baseball in 2016 when Yu Darvish returns from Tommy John surgery. With Derek Holland, Matt Harrison and Martin Perez also in the fold, Texas would have a rotation that competes with those of fellow pitching-laden American League West clubs.

Hamels has long been a trade candidate, and saw interest in his services pick up significantly after throwing a no-hitter against the Cubs last week. As the only actively-available ace with team control beyond 2015, the interest in Hamels goes beyond obvious contenders, as indicated by the fact that the Rangers, Diamondbacks and others are reportedly in the mix to acquire him.