Goodnight, Sweet Prince: Rhys Hoskins Officially Leaves Phillies And Signs 2-Year, $34 Million Contract With Milwaukee Brewers
SOURCE - Rhys Hoskins is officially a former Phillie. The 30-year-old first baseman agreed Tuesday night to a two-year, $34 million contract with the Brewers, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Hoskins can opt out of the deal after a year and re-test free agency. He missed all of 2023 after tearing the ACL in his left knee in spring training, an injury that made him a candidate for a one-year, prove-it deal. This contract with Milwaukee is even better for Hoskins because it protects him against worst-case scenarios with a second year. He earned $12 million in 2023 with the Phillies. The only players in franchise history with fewer at-bats per home run than Hoskins were Jim Thome, Ryan Howard and Mike Schmidt. The Phillies chose Hoskins in the fifth round of the 2014 draft out of Sacramento State. He exploded two years later in Double A, hitting 38 home runs and driving in 116 for Reading.
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Damn. Damn damn damn damn. Damn.
It was probably a forgone conclusion after the season Rhys that might not have a spot on the Phillies - and that's even BEFORE Bryce fully committed to first base. It's just a shame end a hard fought Philly career trudging through actual baseball shit and piss from 2017 thru 2022 comes to an end anticlimactically with a freak injury in Spring Training in 2023. Rhys went through a hellish part fo the the Phillies franchise and deserves to stay for the glory, but it just wasn't in the stars. At least not now.
And people who question the glorification of a seemingly streaky power hitting/below average defending 1B, you don't know Rhys and what he's done with Philly. First off, it's stuff like this:
But also the man is from the sunshine of Southern California and IMMEDIATELY went out of his way to assimilate into this city when both he wasn't a star and the team was dogdick. Always going out of the way for the people and fans. He's raised a ton of cash through charity work through the Phillies, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and various other causes. Shit, his awesome wife Jayme buys beers for the good people at CBP:
Rhys, Jayme, and their lovely pup will be missed. Always welcome to stop back by Barstool HQ3 for more Camp Carrabis And Smtty to work on opening those hips.
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Cute Story: Still remember that Hardo Carrabis wanted to do this bit with an actual baseball…and I had zero issues with that. Thank GOD there were actual adults present to shoot down that idea. S/o to Zah for filling in for a batting tee, too. Solid work all around.
Goodbye, Sweet Prince. May good fortune follow you in Wisconsin for many moons to come. Hold up…
PS - Opt out after year 1? You don't say. Who knows, maybe after this season the team will need Bryce to return to the OF and then…
PPS - The Bat Slam in the playoffs takes the cake, but this is such an underrated Rhys moment just completely sticking it to the Mets in the 9th inning of a meaningless game. Love to love it.