Milwaukee Brewers find their first baseman, sign Hoskins to 2-year deal

(MILWAUKEE BREWERS)  The Milwaukee Brewers have signed first baseman Rhys Hoskins to a two-year contract with a player opt-out after 2024 and a mutual option for 2026. The announcement was made by Senior Vice President and General Manager Matt Arnold.

“We are excited to add the power bat, leadership and experience of Rhys Hoskins to our lineup,” said Arnold. “Rhys is a proven winner who has worked tirelessly to get back on the field, and we look forward to his return to action this season.”

Hoskins, who turns 31 on March 17, has played his entire six-year Major League career (2017-22) with the Philadelphia Phillies, batting .242/.353/.492 with 148 HR and 405 RBI in 667 games. He missed all of last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee, an injury suffered during a Spring Training game last March 23 in Clearwater. He underwent surgery on March 30.

The right-handed hitter has produced at least 27 HR four times, including 30+ HR twice. Hoskins owns a career .846 OPS, including .921 against left-handed pitching. In his career at American Family Field, he is batting .342/.405/.789 with 5 HR and 8 RBI in 9 games. 

Hoskins made his Major League debut on Aug. 10, 2017. From that date through the 2022 season, he ranked among the National League leaders in HR (4th, 148), RBI (4th, 405), extra-base hits (4th, 304), walks (5th, 388), total bases (7th, 1,195) and doubles (8th, 149).

In 2022, Hoskins batted .246/.332/.462 with 30 HR and 79 RBI in 156 games and helped the Phillies reach the World Series after belting 4 HR in 5 games against the San Diego Padres in the National League Championship Series. In 2019, he led the National League and ranked second in the Major Leagues in walks (116).

Hoskins was selected by Philadelphia in the fifth round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of California State University, Sacramento