Putting Hoskins’ finest Phillies moments in order.
Because Rhys Hoskins is knowledgeable about baseball, he was aware during Game 7 of the NLCS that it might be his last game as a Phillie in the home clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park.
As luck would have it, Bryce Harper will start at first base for the Philadelphia Phillies in the upcoming campaign. The designated hitter will be Kyle Schwarber. Hoskins’ Phillies career is probably over after Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski made those statements last week at the GM Meetings. He has nowhere to play.
Although Dombrowski stated that he views the squad as a group of position players, it’s possible that the only way he might return would be if the team made a deal.
What a huge impact Hoskins had, both on and off the field, if his time in Philadelphia is coming to a close. On August 10, 2017, the Phillies, then 42-69, promoted him from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. That night, he finished seventh behind Odúbel Herrera, César Hernández, Freddy Galvis, Michael Franco, Nick Williams, and Tommy Joseph. During his professional career, Hoskins had only played left field three times.
However, he supplied the items. He used a bat. In 50 games, he hit 259 with 18 home runs, 48 RBIs, and a 1.014 OPS, good for fourth place in the NL Rookie of the Year Award voting.
Because he offered optimism to a team that had languished at the basement of the NL East for years, fans took a shine to him. In the clubhouse, the team regarded him as a leader. Consider the games the Phillies dropped between 2017 and 21. Hoskins was always at his locker, willing to answer any queries, following each one. He managed challenging circumstances with poise and expertise.
Hoskins was also hit. After making his Major League debut in 2017, he finished the season ranked 12th in home runs (148) and 16th in RBIs (405). Out of 527 eligible players, he was ranked 43rd in slugging percentage (.492), 53rd in on-base percentage (.353), and 38th in OPS (.846). He posted the figures in an often challenging location to play.
This spring, a respected baseball insider stated, “Not everybody can handle Philly.” Rhys is able.
Hoskins made it through difficult times to see and experience Red October in 2022. This spring, I had the pleasure of speaking with Rhys and Jayme Hoskins about their 2022 postseason experience. We spoke about everything from her purchasing drinks for people in the stadium to his famous bat spike. It was one of my favorite tales from the previous year.
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After a few weeks, everything was different. Hoskins’ season was short after he tore his left ACL, requiring surgery. Still, he made an impression at the ballpark. He attended the games. As usual, he and Jayme supported the community.
They supported the Muscular Dystrophy Association by holding the second annual “Go Yard with Rhys Hoskins” event. For MDA, more than $385,000 was raised. Hoskins was a Phillies fan for a very long time. These five immediately sprang to mind:
1. The Bat Spike (14 October 2022)
In fifty years, Hoskins’ three-run home run in Game 3 of the 2022 NLDS will be included in a compilation of the Phillies’ greatest postseason moments. During the pregame introductions, Hoskins drew jeers since he had performed poorly in the team’s first four postseason games.
Then, against Braves ace Spencer Strider, he blasted a home run. Hoskins leaped to his feet, swung his bat, and dashed across the bases. Everyone went crazy.