Phillies: Rhys Hoskins Improves in The Show Players League
By Matt Rappa
Game 6: April 14, 2020, 9:38 p.m. vs. Ryne Stanek — Phillies 2, Marlins 0
Box Score | Game MVP: Nick Williams
Game 6 for Hoskins and the Phillies (3-2) would go up against Miami Marlins right-handed reliever Ryne Stanek (0-4).
Stanek began hi career with the Tampa Bay Rays from 2017-2019, in which he went 2-5 with a 3.55 ERA across 121 games and 56 starts. Last July, he was dealt mid-state to the Marlins, along with minor-leaguer Jesus Sanchez, for Nick Anderson and Trevor Richards. Stanek finished the year going 0-2 in a Marlins uniform with a 5.48 ERA through 22 appearances. In total in 2019, he went 0-4 with a 3.97 ERA.
Both 0-4 in real life and 0-4 in The Show Players League entering his game against Hoskins, Stanek likewise struggled to come away with a win.
In the top of the first, Hoskins and the Phillies threatened after Bryce Harper doubled to the wall on a full count with two outs (he would double for a second time in the top of the third). Batting as himself, Hoskins laced an infield hit to put runners on the corners, however Didi Gregorius flied out to deep left for the final out.
Phillies starter Zach Eflin tossed a scoreless first on 19 pitches, albeit two baserunners getting on with two outs: a hit-by-pitch of former Phillies outfielder Corey Dickerson , and a bloop single by Garrett Cooper just under the glove of the diving Jay Bruce in left.
The next half-inning, eighth-hitter Scott Kingery walked. Entered Nick Williams as the pinch-hitter … and the move proved to be the perfect one for Hoskins, as the July 2015 trade acquisition in the Cole Hamels trade drilled a two-run home run to left-center field.
The runs would be the only ones of the game. Victor Arano threw a 1-2-3 second inning in relief of Eflin. After allowing a leadoff single to Jesus Aguilar in the third, Hoskins opted for Hector Neris to try to record the save. Stanek would end up getting two more bloop singles later one, however one of them resulted in Harper throwing out a runner trying to come home for the second out. With runners on the corners, two outs, Neris struck out Cooper swinging low and away.
Eflin (1-0) earned the win, Stanek playing as himself the loss (0-1), and Neris the save. Hoskins’ The Show record improved to 4-2.