2019 MLB Free Agents: Latest Rumors, Predictions for Anthony Rendon, Cole Hamels

While Major League Baseball is in the midst of the League Championship Series, there has already been plenty of talk regarding what is shaping up to be a strong free-agent class during the offseason.

Two of the bigger names that could be on the move are Washington Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon and Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Cole Hamels. Both players figure to be in high demand, but the Nationals and Cubs will likely be in the mix to keep their respective stars as well.

With the end of the 2019 season and the start of free agency approaching, here are the latest rumors surrounding Rendon and Hamels, and predictions regarding where they will land on the open market.

Anthony Rendon

Rendon has the Nats one win away from reaching their first World Series, but his future beyond that is very much in question.

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, some close to Rendon believe he may be open to a short-term deal with a high average annual salary because he "might not be devoted to the idea of playing for as long as he possibly can."

Rendon is just 29 years old and he is in the midst of the best season of his career. During the regular season, Rendon hit .319 with 34 home runs and 126 RBI, and he was named a National League All-Star for the first time.

With Bryce Harper no longer in the fold after signing with the Philadelphia Phillies during the offseason, Rendon is now viewed as Washington's clear leader offensively, and he has been one of the biggest factors in the Nats overcoming some of their playoff demons.

One team that continues to struggle on that front is the Los Angeles Dodgers. L.A. lost in the World Series in 2017 and 2018, and they were eliminated by the Nationals in the National League Division Series this season.

That could cause management to make some big changes, and according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Dodgers may have some interest in Rendon when free agency starts.

The Dodgers already have a quality third baseman in Justin Turner, but Rosenthal noted that they are open to moving Turner to first base.

Rendon would add even more potency to a Dodgers lineup that includes Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy, Joc Pederson and Turner, and he would likely help L.A. return to its status as the favorite to win the National League.

Since he has spent his entire seven-year career in Washington, however, Rendon has become synonymous with the Nationals. That didn't stop Harper from leaving, but the Nats can ill afford to lose a franchise player for the second year in a row.

A stacked starting rotation headed by Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin could make the Nationals World Series contenders for many years to come, but their lineup would be severely lacking aside from outfielder Juan Soto if Rendon were to leave.

Given how things ended between the Nats and Harper, one can only assume that management will do everything in its power to ensure that Rendon doesn't get away as well.

Prediction: Rendon re-signs with Nationals

Cole Hamels

After spending parts of the past two seasons with the Cubs, Hamels should have no shortage of options at his disposal in free agency.

The veteran starter is getting up there in age at 35, but he has shown in recent seasons that he can still be productive. While injuries cost him a bit of time in 2018, he still managed a 7-7 record with a 3.81 ERA and 141 strikeouts in 141.2 innings pitched over 27 starts.

That strikeout rate was tied for the second-best mark of his 14-year career, and it showed that he can still be a top-three starter on a contending team.

According to Patrick Mooney of The Athletic, Chicago re-signing Hamels is a possibility, although the Cubs could look to shake things up after missing the playoffs this season and parting ways with manager Joe Maddon.

If the Cubs don't re-sign Hamels, the Phillies and San Diego Padres are also considered strong contenders for his services, per Mooney.

Both make sense on different levels. Hamels spent his first 10 seasons with the Phillies during which time he was named an All-Star three times, won a World Series and was named World Series MVP. Also, the Phillies are in dire need of starting pitching.

The Padres are an up-and-coming team with a lot of young talent, but they could use a veteran starter to help show the younger pitchers the way. They have also shown that they aren't afraid to spend money after signing Manny Machado last offseason.

Among Hamels' suitors, the Phillies are likely to be the most desperate team. They disappointed in a big way this season despite landing the likes of Harper, catcher J.T. Realmuto and outfielder Andrew McCutchen.

The Phillies didn't do enough to address their pitching, but that figures to be the primary area of focus this offseason. Adding Hamels to a starting rotation that ranked 17th in Major League Baseball this season with a 4.64 ERA could go a long way toward turning things around, and it would also be a smart move from a PR perspective since Phillies fans love Hamels for all he accomplished during his time with the organization.

Prediction: Hamels signs with Phillies