Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski didn’t entirely close the door on Rhys Hoskins returning to the team in 2024, but with his Wednesday announcement that the team plans to proceed with Bryce Harper as their full-time first baseman, the longest-tenured position player on the team will likely be wearing a different uniform in 2024.
Had Hoskins put up his typical 30-home run, 85-RBI season in 2023, he may very well have been able to top the three-year/$58.5 million deal that former AL MVP José Abreu signed with the Houston Astros last offseason.
But, of course, Hoskins missed the entirety of the 2023 season after tearing his left ACL in Spring Training. The Phillies didn’t extend the one-year/$20.325 million qualifying offer to him, but a deal that allows Hoskins to return to free agency next offseason — whether it’s a one-year agreement, or a multi-year pact with a player opt-out after 2024 — probably makes the most sense for the slugging first baseman.
Assuming his time in red pinstripes is over, here are five potential landing spots for Hoskins in free agency.
Cleveland Guardians
It remains to be seen how the post-Terry Francona Guardians will operate. Will this be a team that tries to compete in 2024 under new skipper Stephen Vogt, or will they trade former AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber before his walk year and punt on next season? If Cleveland is indeed interested in competing in the winnable AL Central in 2024, Hoskins makes quite a bit of sense from a baseball standpoint, as he could be their starting first baseman and provide thump in a lineup that also includes José Ramírez and Josh Naylor.
Chicago Cubs
Obviously, if the Cubs acquire Pete Alonso in a trade with the New York Mets, that would take them out of the running. But if the Mets choose to keep Alonso or trade him elsewhere, a power-hitting first baseman would still be a need for the Cubs. If they signed Hoskins, it would allow them to compete in their first season under new manager Craig Counsell. And depending on what type of contract Hoskins signs, it wouldn’t preclude the Cubs from making a run at Alonso if he becomes a free agent next winter.
Los Angeles Angels
Everything is in flux with the Angels, from Shohei Ohtani’s future on the team to how much longer Arte Moreno will own the team. Oh yeah, and if Ohtani leaves in free agency, that may be the impetus for three-time AL MVP Mike Trout finally asking for a trade. 2023 first-round pick Nolan Schanuel is probably the long-term first baseman for the Angels, but the 21-year-old could use some more seasoning in the minor leagues. Signing Hoskins for a year or two would allow the Schanuel ample time to develop, while giving the Angels some sort of replacement for the power they’ll lose if Ohtani and/or Trout depart. General manager Perry Minasian could also flip Hoskins at the trade deadline if the Angels are, as expected, not very good in 2024.
San Francisco Giants
Two things can be true: There’s enough of a track record to know that Gabe Kapler’s managerial style often leads to late-season collapses, and also the former Phillies skipper definitely didn’t have enough talent to work with before being fired in the final days of the 2023 season. Signing Hoskins in addition to someone like Cody Bellinger would markedly improve the lineup for new manager Bob Melvin, something president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi needs to do if he wants to remain employed. Pitcher-friendly Oracle Park may not be a great place to play 81 home games at if you’re looking to re-establish your value before you return to free agency, but Hoskins — a Sacramento native — grew up a Giants fan, so playing for San Francisco would be a cool opportunity for him.
Minnesota Twins
Whether the Twins play Edouard Julien at first or second base primarily in 2024, Hoskins could be an interesting fit on a one-year deal as someone who gets time at both first base and DH. Minnesota will have to come up with a way to overcome the loss of RHP Sonny Gray, if he does indeed depart in free agency. One way to do that might be bolstering a lineup that can be thin on right-handed power when the oft-injured Byron Buxton is out of the lineup.
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