Cole Hamels expects to ‘save the best for last’ down stretch for Cubs

ST. LOUIS — The Cubs might think they got their man in Cole Hamels.

But Hamels knows he got his team in the Cubs.

“I’m excited. This is always a place I’ve wanted to play,” the veteran left-hander said Saturday after joining his new team during the Cubs’ 6-2 loss to the Cardinals. “I knew there was a strong possibility in 2015 when obviously I was getting traded at the time.”

Theo Epstein’s front office was granted a waiver claim for Hamels in 2014 but couldn’t work out a deal before the Phillies pulled him off waivers. One year later, the Cubs didn’t have the resources to make a deal, and the Phillies instead traded Hamels to the Rangers.

After making a smaller-scale deal Thursday night for the struggling veteran, the Cubs are betting they’re not getting too little of Hamels too late to save their teetering rotation and make another playoff run.

“I know what I have and what I’m capable of doing, and I’m really confident I’ll be able to do it here,” said Hamels, who will make his first Cubs start Wednesday in Pittsburgh.

Hamels, a close family friend of former Cubs pitcher Mark Prior, said he became a Cubs fan during Prior’s years and has gone 3-1 with a 1.76 ERA in six career starts at Wrigley Field. Prior texted with congratulations and encouraging words about the city, Hamels said.

But Hamels also has struggled much of this season with the Rangers (4.72 ERA), including a 10.23 ERA in his last five starts. He attributed most of the issues to mechanics and trouble with the two-seam fastball he has been working on for two seasons.

He suggested he recently might have corrected some of the issues. He said health and velocity are not problems.

“You kind of look past it, learn from it and save the best for last,” he said.

He also expects “a little bit of revitalized energy” with the last-to-first trade.

“There is something that you’re playing for,” he said, “and I think that kind of [has an] effect and kind of ups your game.”

Hamels said he is looking forward to the return of former Rangers teammate Yu Darvish from the disabled list.

“He’s got wipeout stuff,” Hamels said. “To know when he gets healthy that it’s going to be a pretty devastating pitching rotation — I’m just happy to be a part of it. So wherever I fit in and we all line up, I think we all are pretty confident we’re all No. 1, No. 2 pitchers. It makes it pretty intimidating for us to go into a series and a team knowing that’s who they’re going to face.”

Yu good?

Darvish told Japanese media Saturday that he felt fine the day after experiencing pain early in a bullpen session before making an adjustment and finishing pain-free.

He said he expects to throw another bullpen session during the two-game series this week in Pittsburgh.

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This and that

Shortstop Addison Russell is expected to return to the lineup Sunday after getting two days off for fatigue and tightness in his legs and to give the lingering issue with last month’s finger injury a break.

— The Cubs recalled reliever Cory Mazzoni from Class AAA Iowa to swap places with Alec Mills, who pitched two innings Friday night.