To be honest, as much as I dislike the idea of trading for Hamels, this isn't exactly true at all. If Hamels was on the market right now he'd get a contract as big or bigger than the Lester deal.
Hamels pitched to a 2.46 ERA in 2014, has 34.4 career WAR and is 30 years, 11 months and 25 days old.
Over the last seven years, Hamels has pitched above 200 innings six times, and 190 innings once.
Lester pitched to a 2.46 ERA in 2014, has 35.4 career WAR and is 30 years, 11 months and 15 days old.
Over the last seven years, Lester has pitched above 200 innings six times, and 190 innings once.
Hamels contract as it stands:
96M over 4 years if his 2019 option is bought out, at a 24M AAV.
110M over 5 years if his 2019 option is picked up, at a 22M AAV.
114M over 5 years if his 2019 option vests, at a 22.8M AAV.
No matter how you look at it, Hamels' contract is far below market value for what he'd make in free agency.
Not only do you save 40M by trading for Hamels as opposed to signing him, there's also probably no chance he'd prefer the Jays to the other teams that would be interested if he was on the open market.
Now whether or not he's worth the prospect capital required to acquire him is a whole other discussion (spoiler alert: he isn't).