Categories: 2020 OffseasonNews

Rhys Hoskins out 4-6 months after having surgery on UCL

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins underwent surgery to repair the UCL in his left elbow this past Friday, the team announced.

Rhys Hoskins is recovering from surgery. (Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

The surgery, performed by Dr. Steve Cohen, comes with a recovery timetable of four to six months.

Hoskins missed the final 17 games of the 2020 season after injuring his left UCL attempting to catch a ball thrown into the baseline by catcher J.T. Realmuto. The Phillies were 22-19 in games that Hoskins played in during the 2020 season, but went just 6-13 in games that the first baseman wasn’t in the lineup for.

Hoskins acknowledged late in the season that he had a small tear in his left UCL, but there was hope that it would begin to heal on its own and he could return for the postseason. Ultimately, the Phillies missed the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season, and it appears that the injury wasn’t healing enough on its own for the 27-year-old to avoid surgery.

Hoskins said in late September that he had been told it would take him three or four months to recover from the procedure. Even in the worst-case scenario where it takes more like six months to bounce-back, Hoskins likely would only miss the early weeks of next season.

Despite a slow start, Hoskins was one of the Phillies most valuable offensive contributors in 2020. In 41 games, Hoskins slashed .245/.384/.503 with 10 home runs, 26 RBIs and 29 walks.

A fifth-round pick of the Phillies in 2014, Hoskins will become eligible for arbitration for the first time this offseason.