Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins is the only projected Opening Day starter who has yet to appear in a spring training game. Rob Thomson provided some clarity as to why that is.
The Phillies manager told reporters, including NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Corey Seidman, that Hoskins underwent a minimally invasive procedure to repair his right meniscus in mid-December.
Hoskins has been a full go in camp, but the Phillies are giving him some time before he appears in a game. He’s expected to make his Grapefruit League debut Friday against the Tigers in Clearwater.
The 29-year-old is entering what could be his final season with the Phillies. He’ll become a free agent at the end of 2023. Both the player and team would benefit greatly from a fully healthy Hoskins entering his platform year, so it’s not surprising that the Phillies are taking precaution regarding Hoskins’ spring workload.
Pitching Plans
The Phillies revealed the starting pitching plans for the week. Aaron Nola gets the ball Monday against the Pirates in Bradenton and Zack Wheeler will make his spring debut Tuesday against the Blue Jays in Clearwater.
Andrew Painter will make his highly anticipated Grapefruit League debut Wednesday against the Twins in Fort Myers. Bailey Falter will start the back half of the Phillies’ road trip down the coast when they take on the Red Sox at JetBlue Park on Thursday.