Rhys Hoskins, MIL
Rhys Hoskins had been a mainstay with the Phillies ever since he made his major league debut during the 2017 season. Prior to the arrivals of J.T. Realmuto, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and eventually Nick Castellanos, Hoskins was front and center the Phillies’ main offensive force in their lineup. With the ability to provide 30+ home runs and 80+ RBI worth of production per season, his valuable impact on the ballclub was evident.
However, an unfortunate left knee ACL injury during spring training last year ended his season before it even started. When the Phillies ultimately moved Harper to first base and Schwarber to the DH role, many knew that it probably spelled the end of Hoskins’ tenure with the Phillies. It eventually came to fruition as Hoskins signed on with the Milwaukee Brewers in free agency this past offseason.
This year, Hoskins has maintained his usual offensive output with the Brewers with 25 home runs and 78 RBI over 129 games before Friday. However, his .215 batting average and .720 OPS are the lowest of his seven-year MLB career.
So should the Phillies worry about him in the MLB playoffs? After all, Hoskins has only amassed a .159 average and .640 OPS with 24 strikeouts in 17 career games in the postseason. However, when he did connect, he did a lot of damage, with six of his 11 hits going for home runs, along with scoring nine runs and driving in 12. Plus, he owns one of the most famous moments in recent Phillies playoff memory.
RHYS SPIKE.#Postseason pic.twitter.com/6VYBHIk0AU
— MLB (@MLB) October 14, 2022
On top of that, Hoskins has already shown glimpses of success against his former club this season, as he hit .333 with two home runs in six games. With his ability to change the game with one swing of the bat, the Phillies should be wary if they meet Hoskins and the Brewers this postseason.