Getty First baseman Rhys Hoskins hasn't played a game for the Brewers yet. However, the ex-Phillie slugger is already a 2024 trade candidate.
First baseman Rhys Hoskins has been an important contributor to the Philadelphia Phillies since making his MLB debut in 2017. However, he now plays for the Milwaukee Brewers after signing a two-year, $34 million deal with the club this offseason.
Could his tenure with the Brew Crew be much shorter than his stay in Philly?
Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly pulled out his crystal ball on February 21 to name 10 MLB players who are the most likely to get traded during the 2024 season. Hoskins was among the players listed.
When the Brewers signed Hoskins, it appeared they were gearing up to seriously compete for another National League Central title. But that was before they traded starting pitcher Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles. This move also led to trade rumors swirling around shortstop Willy Adames and reliever Devin Williams.
Kelly notes that the Brewers are willing to listen to offers on Adames, who is set to be a free agent at season’s end. If they will do that, then why not be open-minded about Hoskins, too? The second year of his deal is a player option. So, if he’s having a good 2024 season, he’ll likely opt out and hit the open market again next winter anyway.
Hoskins Looking to Re-Establish His Value After Lost 2023
Between 2017 and 2022, Hoskins established himself as a consistent power threat in the Phillies’ lineup. He stormed onto the scene as a 24-year-old rookie by slugging 18 home runs with 48 RBI in 50 games. The right-handed hitter would go on to collect four seasons of at least 27 homers with Philly. This included two 30-homer campaigns — 34 in 2018 and 30 in 2022.
Across six seasons and 2,877 plate appearances, Hoskins has proven to be a productive big-league hitter. He owns a career triple slash of .242/.353/.492 with 148 homers and 405 RBI. This has resulted in a solid .845 OPS and 125 OPS+.
The first baseman was looking to build upon his 2022 performance in 2023 before becoming a free agent. Unfortunately for Hoskins, his season was over before it even started. He tore his left ACL during spring training, which eventually sidelined him for the entire year.
Based on his performance, Spotrac pegged Hoskins’ market value at four years and $84 million. His injury forced him to look for a short-term deal to re-establish his value, though. If he has a great 2024 with Milwaukee, he can opt out in November and seek a more lucrative multi-year contract. But if he struggles, he can stick with the Brewers in 2025 and earn $18 million.
His Postseason Bat Spike Will Be Talked About Forever
When strictly looking at the numbers, Hoskins’ first taste of postseason baseball in 2022 had a lot of tough moments. In 73 plate appearances (17 games played), the slugger slashed .159/.205/.435, which resulted in a 73 wRC+. But when contact was made, he took advantage of it.
Hoskins collected 11 hits during the Phillies’ World Series run. Six were home runs, which resulted in 12 RBI and nine runs scored. He posted a 1.189 OPS with four of those dingers during Philly’s National League Championship Series victory against the San Diego Padres. None of those were as memorable as the one he slugged at Citizens Bank Park during Game 3 of their NLDS matchup against the Atlanta Braves thanks to his bat spike on the way out of the batter’s box.
This bat spike will be talked about and re-watched for a long time. It will also be intertwined in his legacy with the Phillies, and rightfully so.