The post Phillies prepare for emotional reunion with Rhys Hoskins appeared first on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Some will consider Monday’s visit to the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club a midseason gauge, after all, because the first-place Brewers will enter the game with the best record of any team the Phillies have faced so far this season.
For others, it will be a chance to say hello and goodbye to first baseman Rhys Hoskins, who became a fan favorite during his 11 years with the organization. It will be Hoskins’ first visit to Citizens Bank Park since signing as a free agent with Milwaukee last winter and his first time playing in a game there since the 2022 World Series.
The beginning of the end of his time in Philadelphia came when he tore his ACL in his knee while catching a routine ground ball during spring training in 2023. That created an opportunity for the team to move Bryce Harper to first base, and when Harper and the team decided to make that move permanent and Kyle Schwarber settled in at designated hitter, Hoskins was left floating.
Until Friday, there was no guarantee that the reunion would actually happen — Hoskins had missed 15 games with a hamstring injury — but he returned and played that night against the White Sox, so now the stage was set.
“He deserves a huge round of applause,” Rob Thomson said before Saturday night’s game, “and I think he will. He’s just a great guy. He was a big part of what we accomplished in 2022. Even during the year he was on the disabled list, he was a leader in the clubhouse. And he was a leader in the community.”
The manager said the team was on the verge of using Hoskins in the World Series had they not lost to the Diamondbacks in the NL Championship Series, even though Hoskins had never at bat under game conditions this year and would have been limited to pinch-hitting if on the roster.
“With him in the final year of his contract, it was all about making sure he didn’t get injured again. We wanted to take care of him,” Thompson said. Hoskins eventually signed a two-year, $34 million contract with Milwaukee.
In 2016, he became a standout player with 38 home runs for Double-A Reading, and made his major league debut on August 10 the following year. During his six years in the major leagues with the Phillies, he batted .242 with 148 home runs and an OPS of .844. He and his wife Jamie were active in charitable activities, particularly those supporting muscular dystrophy.
His signature moment came in Game 3 of the 2022 National League Series, when he hit a three-run homer off Braves ace Spencer Strider, breaking out of a deep slump and launching a raging charge to lead the Phillies to an easy win.
“It really boosted the morale of our guys,” Thompson said.
Other: Rob Thomson said he would “absolutely” consider using Edmundo Sosa in the outfield if Trea Turner (hamstring) goes on the disabled list. Since filling in for Turner at shortstop on May 4, he was hitting .313 with a 1.014 OPS as of Saturday night. “If he continues to hit like this, it’s going to be hard to take him out of the lineup,” Thomson said, adding that he hasn’t had any substantive discussions on the subject yet. The Phillies met after batting practice to discuss travel plans to London. The trip is set to depart after Wednesday’s 4 p.m. game against the Brewers and arrive at the hotel around 10 a.m. Thursday. “There’s a lot of factors that go into this,” Thomson said. “It’s 18 time zones across from San Francisco, Colorado to here to London and back.” The Phillies also acquired right-hander Freddie Turnoch off waivers from the Athletics. Tarnok was originally considered a top prospect in the Braves organization. “He’s got great velocity,” the manager said. “So let’s send him to Triple-A (Lehigh Valley) and see what he can do.” Cardinals right-hander Lance Lynn (2-3, 3.45 ERA) will face right-hander Taijuan Walker (3-2, 5.51 ERA) in the series finale at 7:10 p.m. Sunday.
