According to sources who spoke with ESPN on Tuesday, first baseman Rhys Hoskins and the Milwaukee Brewers are settling on a two-year, $34 million deal with an opt-out following the first season. With the addition of a seasoned power hitter, the deal will cover a big void in the lineup of the defending National League Central winners.
Hoskins, who will age 31 in March, tore his left knee’s ACL during spring training and was sidelined for the whole 2023 season for the Philadelphia Phillies. Hoskins had been a reliable middle-of-the-park player for Philadelphia for the previous six seasons, averaging thirty home runs in his four full seasons and registering a career OPS that was 25% over league average.
once being taken by the Phillies in the fifth round of the 2014 draft, Hoskins decided to leave the team once Bryce Harper was permanently moved to first base. During Philadelphia’s journey to the 2022 World Series, Hoskins, who placed fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2017, hit 30 home runs and averaged.246/.332/.462.
Hoskins was about to make a playoff comeback for the Phillies after blowing out his knee while diving backward to catch a ground ball during spring training last year, but he was not with the team when the Phillies played the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL Championship Series. He entered free agency seeking a contract to restore his worth prior to reentering the market, and the opt-out will enable him to accomplish this.
Hoskins has thrived at Miller Park in his brief stint as a guest to Milwaukee, slashing.342/.405/.790 with five home runs and eight RBIs in nine games.
He signs with the Brewers, a squad that is desperate for runs. Eric Haase, Milwaukee’s backup catcher, was the team’s only offensive addition acquired through free agency this winter. Before making his major league debut, center fielder Jackson Chourio—possibly the best prospect in baseball—signed an eight-year, $82 million contract with Milwaukee. Additionally, the Brewers may have an offensive line to go along with their excellent pitching thanks to the return of Christian Yelich, Willy Adames, Tyler Black, and rookie Sal Frelick for the entire season.
Last season, Milwaukee finished first in the NL Central and advanced to the postseason for the fifth time in six years, but the D-backs easily defeated them in the wild-card round. With 728 runs scored, the Brewers ranked 17th in baseball, but their slugging percentage of.385 placed them 25th.