A Cole Hamels-Phillies reunion almost seems scripted.

The ex-Phillies first-round pick turned ace is traded away during a rebuild only to return as the club becomes a contender again. Considering Hamels' ties to Philadelphia from afar, the southpaw would likely welcome a deal back to the rising Phillies.

But it takes two to tango.

As the lead up to the July 31 trade deadline commences, the Phillies (assuming they have some interest) won't be the only team after Hamels. According to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe, the Yankees and Braves could also land the 34-year-old.

Hamels has a $23.5 million salary for 2018 and a $20 million option with a $6 million buyout for 2019. The Rangers would love to move him at the deadline and would expect to pick up some of the tab. Hamels, who missed his last start with neck stiffness, is 2-4 with a 3.48 ERA. Not his best work, but the feeling is the motivation of a pennant race should help his numbers. You could see a team like the Braves or Phillies or Yankees show interest in the veteran lefty. Hamels would likely waive his no-trade provision.

If the Yankees strike out on, say, San Francisco's Madison Bumgarner (the prime-aged, dominant starter) or Detroit's Michael Fulmer (young, cost-controllable arm), Hamels could be the best option on the market. Plus, we're talking about a veteran with outstanding October numbers (3.48 ERA in 98.1 innings) throughout his career.

For the Phillies, it's the Braves, not the Yankees, that should represent the more alarming competition on the trade market. As Atlanta and Philadelphia get set for a three-game series this week, the top of the NL East standings hangs in the balance. If the Braves landed a veteran like Hamels to put atop a young rotation, the balance of power in this year's NL East could swing to Atlanta.

Hamels owns a 3.48 ERA in 9 starts. While that's come with a career-high strikeout rate (9.9 K/9), more walks (3.7 BB/9) and less ground balls (43 percent) have turned Hamels into more of a mid-rotation starter.

Joe Giglio may be reached at jgiglio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeGiglioSports. Find NJ.com on Facebook.