Rhys Hoskins Makes Blunt Brewers Admission After Signing With Guardians

Hoskins may not have liked the cards he was dealt, but he understood

Jul 2, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins (12) watches from the dugout prior to game against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

His two years with the Milwaukee Brewers may not have gone at all as he planned, but Rhys Hoskins really wasn't that bad last season.

In 90 games, Hoskins put up a .748 OPS with 12 home runs and 43 RBIs. But after suffering a left thumb injury that kept him out for two months, he couldn't reclaim the starting first-base job from trade pickup Andrew Vaughn, who was on fire at the time Hoskins got off the injured list.

Hoskins was forced to take a minor-league deal with the Cleveland Guardians earlier this month and is fighting to prove he still deserves a prominent big-league role. Joining a new club also gave him time to reflect on the disappointing end to his Brewers stint.

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Hoskins talks being "dealt a bad hand"

Jun 28, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins (12) tags out Colorado Rockies second baseman Thairo Estrada (39) in the first inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Though Hoskins didn't harbor any animosity toward the Brewers for keeping Vaughn in the lineup over him at the end of the year and the playoffs, he felt like he still had much more to offer in terms of contributions that he wasn't able to show.

“I know it's still in there,” Hoskins said, per Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. “I know I can be a productive player in this league. I think I proved that last year. But sometimes you just get dealt a bad hand.

“Obviously Vaughn was able to do what he was doing. We were winning a ton of games, so I understood. I didn't like it, but I understood where the Brewers were coming from. But I still think I can be a productive everyday player in this league, and that's what I'll set out to do.”

Though Hoskins hit 38 home runs in his 221 games as a Brewer, just about anyone would classify the two-year, $34 million contract he signed to be a letdown, especially for a Milwaukee team that rarely dips into the middle and high ends of the free-agent pool.

But Hoskins carried himself like a total pro throughout the experience, meaning more than a few Milwaukee players, coaches, and fans will be rooting for his success in Cleveland.