Rhys Hoskins was cut by the Philadelphia Phillies when they decided to start Bryce Harper at first base. There doesn’t seem to be any animosity, even if it’s unfortunate that an accident forced it to end the way it did.
All of this is business, as both sides were aware of.
Harper will start at first base in the upcoming season, barring a dramatic shift in the Phillies’ front office that prompts them to deal Nick Castellanos. Since that’s probably not the case, Hoskins has been looking into other possibilities.
His free agency is heating up, and he might sign a contract soon, according to MLB.com. The Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays are the “most notable” teams interested in the power hitter.
The 30-year-old sustained an ACL tear during Spring Training of the previous year, and is currently recovering. He poses a threat for 30 or more home runs per season when healthy.
They appear to make the most sense because the Cubs’ lineup lacks power.
However, acquiring Hoskins doesn’t make much sense for them if Cody Bellinger re-signs with Chicago and they think Pete Crow-Armstrong can contribute in the major leagues in 2024.
With the Phillies, Hoskins made his major league debut in 2017 and fulfilled the task that was assigned to him.
He blasted 148 home runs, 405 RBIs, and slashed in 2,427 at-bats.242/.353/.492. In each of the four seasons he played more than 100 games, he hit more than 27 home runs.