Brewers working on two-year deal with Hoskins (source)
MILWAUKEE — The Brewers are near choosing up a giant bat to fill the most important gap on their roster, because the membership was finalizing a two-year, $34 million settlement with former Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins that features an opt-out after the primary season, a supply informed MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand on Tuesday.
The membership has not confirmed any deal, and one other supply informed MLB.com that the edges had been nonetheless ironing out the ultimate particulars of the choice. Like all free agent agreements, this one would additionally require a bodily examination earlier than it’s finalized.
But if accomplished, it’s going to be a redemption tour for Hoskins, who was a fan favourite in Philadelphia earlier than lacking all of final season after tearing his left ACL in Spring Training.
Though there have been rumors he may return for the playoffs, Hoskins by no means did make it again to the sphere in 2023. The righty-hitting slugger was a possible pinch-hitting choice if the Phillies made the World Series, however he was not on the NLCS roster and will solely watch as Philadelphia fell to Arizona in seven video games. Hoskins’ knee needs to be absolutely healed for 2024, however he is perhaps rusty from the lengthy layoff.
But even a rusty Hoskins is a strong choice. The first baseman, who turns 31 on March 17, owns a profession .846 OPS and a slugging share of slightly below .500. He has averaged 36 house runs per 162 video games, topping out at 34 homers in his first full season, 2018. Hoskins’ manufacturing dipped a bit in 2022, as he posted a .246/.332/.462 slash line with 30 homers and 79 RBIs.
Statcast metrics nonetheless seemed favorably on Hoskins’ hitting in his most up-to-date season. He ranked within the seventieth percentile or above in almost each offensive class, together with anticipated wOBA (seventy fifth), barrel price (78th) and chase price (81st). Hoskins led the National League with 116 walks in 2019, though his once-elite stroll price got here down in 2021 and ‘22. While he’s an above-average hitter, Hoskins is a poor defender, rating thirty third of 36 certified first basemen in Outs Above Average in 2022.
That would make him an outlier on a Brewers workforce that led the National League in defensive runs saved final season, and bought even higher within the second half because of Trade Deadline pick-up and Gold Glove Award finalist Carlos Santana at first base. Hoskins’ bat seems definitely worth the trade-off; Brewers first basemen ranked twenty eighth of 30 groups final season in wRC+ (81), which is an total measure of offensive manufacturing, and in addition ranked twenty eighth with a .681 OPS.
Hoskins would additionally assist with one other downside: hitting lefties. He owns a profession OPS of .921 towards left-handed pitchers, who’ve held the Brewers to an .704 OPS in 2021 (twenty third), .674 in 2022 (twenty third) and .730 in 2023 (sixteenth).
While Hoskins has additionally performed some left area in his profession, the Brewers would play him at first base and sometimes use him because the designated hitter. The Brewers have sometimes unfold DH duties round fairly than make use of one batter in that function.
A fifth-round Draft select of Sacramento State in 2014, Hoskins carried out effectively sufficient within the Minor Leagues to earn some hype as a prospect by the point he made his debut in 2017. All he did that yr was slug 18 house runs in 50 video games, together with a document 10 homers in his first 17 profession contests. Despite batting simply .159 in his postseason debut in 2022, Hoskins supplied pop for the Phillies, slugging a three-run shot off Spencer Strider within the NLDS and homering 4 extra occasions within the Phils’ NLCS win over the Padres.
