PHILADELPHIA -- Cole Hamels insisted Friday that he never thought about rejoining the Phillies before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline.
He insisted that he has not thought about finishing his career with the Phillies, either.
But Hamels still calls Philadelphia home, and the Phillies remain near and dear to his heart. This is where he started his professional baseball career. This is where he led the organization to the 2008 World Series championship, the second title in the franchise's history. This is where he signed a six-year, $144 million contract, which could make him a free agent after the season.
"This is a tremendous place to play, and if there's opportunities, there's opportunities," Hamels said before Friday's series opener between the Cubs and Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. "I won't ever shy away from them. But each and every day, I'm just trying to put up good numbers and still maintain the level of play that I expect out of myself and help whatever team I'm on find a way to win a championship."
Hamels is on the Cubs because the Cubs wanted a starting pitcher. They sent Texas a modest return to get him. The Phillies scouted Hamels throughout July, but never seriously engaged the Rangers.
The Phillies liked their rotation as is. They still do.
But Hamels has made a tremendous impact in Chicago. He went 5-9 with a 4.72 ERA in 20 starts with the Rangers, but is 4-0 with a 0.69 ERA in six starts with the Cubs.

He will not face the Phillies this weekend.
Maybe he will in October.
"I think when I first got traded, after a couple starts with days off, the way that it looked is it could possibly happen," Hamels said about starting against the Phillies this weekend. "I think when I did look at it, I was trying to see who I would match up against. To be able to match up against [Jake] Arrieta again, Aaron Nola for probably the first time ever, that would've probably been a pretty good game. But at the same time, sometimes the schedule doesn't permit it to happen."
But, he acknowledged, "this will be a fun three days."

The Phillies celebrated the 10th anniversary of the 2008 title team earlier this month. Hamels is one of the few remaining players still in uniform. Chase Utley, J.A. Happ and Ryan Madson are the others. Hamels said he heard from his former teammates throughout the celebration.
"They were sending me a lot of videos and texts of the fun they were having here," Hamels said. "I guess I'll have to catch up with the 20-year one, I guess if the Phillies end up having one."
They might. But right now Hamels hopes to make some history with the Cubs.