Looks Like Chicago Cubs Will Sign Former Phillies Slugger This Offseason
It feels like ages ago that Rhys Hoskins slammed his bat down in excitement after blasting a three-run homer for the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves in the 2022 postseason.
That's what an injury does.
Athletes who were once directly in the spotlight are now moved to the backburner as teams have to move on in their absence.
The Phillies had to do that when Hoskins went down with a torn ACL in Spring Training. They had no choice after signing Trea Turner to a massive contract and expecting to get back to the World Series.
With Hoskins out, Bryce Harper eventually took over at first base and played to such a level that Philadelphia's front office and coaching staff feels comfortable enough to have him play there full-time for the foreseeable future.
So, they let their slugging first baseman walk in free agency.
Hoskins will likely be playing his first year of Major League Baseball with a different organization than the one that drafted him back in 2014.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY, that team will be one from the NL Central.
"The Chicago Cubs are in talks with agent Scott Boras about signing free-agent first baseman Rhys Hoskins," he reports.
This would be a good place for the slugger to go. The Chicago Cubs are in desperate need of more power after they haven't re-signed Cody Bellinger and missed out on Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto.
Plus, they are looking for an everyday first baseman.
Hoskins checks both of those boxes and could follow in the footsteps of Bellinger and use his "prove it" deal to become a sought after free agent once again.
Nothing is official about where the former Phillies slugger will be playing baseball in 2024, but it looks like it definitely won't be in Philadelphia and it could be with the Cubs.
