The Milwaukee Brewers faced a straightforward decision this off-season when they opted not to exercise their club option on first baseman Rhys Hoskins. After Hoskins picked up his $18 million player option for the 2025 season, Milwaukee attempted to trade him but found no takers for his substantial salary. Thus, Hoskins began the season as the starting first baseman, but the year didn’t unfold as he had hoped.
A mid-season wrist sprain sidelined Hoskins, and upon his return, playing time was scarce. Andrew Vaughn, acquired in the Aaron Civale trade, seized the opportunity and delivered an impressive .308/.375/.493 line with nine home runs and 46 RBIs while Hoskins was out.
Consequently, the Brewers declined Hoskins' option, allowing him to explore free agency. Yet, no Major League offers materialized, leading him to sign a minor league deal with the Cleveland Guardians.
Hoskins joined Milwaukee in 2023 after missing the entire 2022 season due to a torn ACL. In his debut season with the Brewers, he posted a .214/.303/.419 line with 26 home runs and 82 RBIs. Last season, he improved slightly to .237/.332/.416, hitting 12 home runs and driving in 43 runs over 90 games, though only 11 of those games came after his late-June injury.
Reflecting on his time with the Brewers, Hoskins expressed his feelings to Tim Stebbins of MLB.com, describing his experience as "incomplete." He believes he can still be a productive player in the league, despite the setbacks.
“Obviously Vaughn was able to do what he was doing. We were winning a ton of games, so I understood.
I didn’t like it, but I understood where the Brewers were coming from. But I still think I can be a productive everyday player in this league, and that’s what I’ll set out to do,” Hoskins shared.
While Hoskins hoped to reclaim his role as the everyday first baseman post-injury, Vaughn's performance made it difficult for the Brewers to change their lineup. Despite understanding the decision, Hoskins' competitive spirit was frustrated by the situation.
Now, Hoskins is eyeing a spot on Cleveland’s Opening Day roster, with the potential to earn a $1.5 million base salary if he makes it back to the Majors. His journey continues, driven by the belief that he can still contribute significantly at the highest level.