The Philadelphia Phillies made the choice to make Bryce Harper their full-time first baseman. This resolution wasn’t an enormous shocker because the workforce was only one win shy of one other NL Pennant with Harper taking part in first base, but it surely signifies that Rhys Hoskins’ six-year tenure within the Metropolis of Brotherly Love is reaching its endpoint.
Hoskins was a staple within the Phillies order, taking part in first base usually for the membership from August of 2017 via their unlikely run to the World Sequence in 2022. Hoskins was the second-longest-tenured Phillie behind Aaron Nola, who might simply be a part of Hoskins to find a brand new vacation spot.
Whereas the Phillies seem like set with out Hoskins, there are a number of groups that might profit enormously from including the power-hitting first baseman. He may need missed all the 2023 season after tearing his ACL, however he is nonetheless one of the vital interesting free-agent bats on the market in a weak class total.
The Toronto Blue Jays fell brief of their try at making a deep postseason run in 2023 largely as a result of their offense went silent within the Wild Card Spherical in opposition to the Twins. Toronto scored a grand whole of 1 run within the two video games they performed at Goal Subject, and have many gamers hitting the market this offseason.
Matt Chapman, Brandon Belt, and Whit Merrifield are all free brokers. Dropping all three with out changing any of them could be problematic for a Jays workforce that ranked 14th in runs scored and sixteenth in dwelling runs this previous season. A technique so as to add extra thump to a lineup that wants it will be by signing Rhys Hoskins.
The Jays, in fact, have Vladimir Guerrero Jr. locked in because the workforce’s first baseman, however Hoskins can play every single day within the DH spot and spell Guerrero within the discipline periodically when wanted.
The Jays will seemingly goal larger names like Shohei Ohtani or Cody Bellinger first so as to add the punch to their center of the lineup, however assuming they arrive up brief there, Hoskins can hit behind the likes of Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette whereas offering immense energy and on-base capacity.
