Checking in on the performance of each of the Phillies’ upcoming free agents

At the end of the 2023 MLB season, the Philadelphia Phillies will be in pretty good shape in terms of contracts as they will only have four players that will head towards free agency and become unrestricted free agents. However, three of the four are key players currently on the Phillies’ squad, so it would be to the best interest of the ballclub to be able to retain them if they believe they are an important part of the team’s present and near future.

Here, we take a look at the performances of these four potential 2023-24 free agents and what they have done for the Phillies so far this year, which could ultimately have a direct impact on whether they will be staying or leaving at the end.

Rhys Hoskins

Rhys Hoskins was drafted by the Phillies in the fifth round back in the 2014 MLB Draft out of California State University, Sacramento. Ever since his debut with the ballclub in 2017, he has been a force for the Phillies, hitting in their top half of the order, and producing at a consistent 30-homer, 80/90-RBI clip each season over a 162-game schedule. He practically has been the right solid replacement for the outgoing legendary Ryan Howard at the time and has established himself to be their mainstay at first base in the Phillies’ current era.

However, with regards to his performance for the 2023 season, Hoskins unfortunately suffered a season-ending ACL injury on a non-contact play when he was fielding a ground ball behind first base during Spring Training on March 23rd. His scheduled recovery timeline ranged from seven to nine months, meaning we won’t be seeing him back at all this year.

Despite losing Hoskins for his remaining year before he hits free agency, it’s a no-brainer that the Phillies should do everything they can to keep him in Philadelphia at all costs. With the likes of Eric Hosmer, C.J. Cron, and Brandon Belt being the main attractions for first baseman available in the 2023-24 free agency class, who are all definitely on another lower-tiered level compared to Hoskins, it is crucial that the Phillies lock up Hoskins as soon as they can so that they do not have to worry about the obvious black hole they would have to fill in the future if they choose not to.