USATSI_18101507 — Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Can Hoskins Break Out of Slump in May?

Rhys Hoskins had a strong start to the Philadelphia Phillies' season, but has since slumped. Can he turn it around in May?

Author:
Declan Harris
May 2, 2022 3:30 PM EDT

Despite being no-hit by the New York Mets on April 29, the Philadelphia Phillies have scored 49 runs over their last 10 games, and rank sixth in MLB in runs per game at 4.55.

Although guys like Kyle Schwarber, Alec Bohm, and Bryce Harper have seemed to find their rhythm, the same can not be said for Phillies' first baseman Rhys Hoskins, who has been in a slump over the last few weeks.

Hoskins has slashed just .161/.250/.268 over the previous 15 games, sprinkling nine hits, seven walks and 18 strikeouts across 56 at-bats. This is quite the opposite of how he opened the season for the Phillies, hitting .258/.395/.484 with four doubles, a home run and four RBI through the first 10 games.

For Philadelphia's lineup, it is most concerning that Hoskins has only two home runs in 89 plate appearances, as the long ball has consistently been his calling card. While his power is still there, ranking in the 93rd percentile in HardHit% and 95th in Avg Exit Velocity according to Baseball Savant, he's not launching the ball over the outfield wall or finding holes in the infield.

Slumping is nothing new for Rhys, in fact, it's a large part of his player profile, but it's possible his place in the batting order is the culprit. Since being slotted in the two-hole on April 19, he's batted .163 and slugged just .302. Historically, Hoskins has not hit well when batting second, slashing .220/.328/.460 for his career.

Perhaps moving him down in the starting lineup, an off day (his last off day was April 13), or a simple flipping of the calendar can help Hoskins to break out of his struggles. Typically, April is a strong month for Hoskins, with a career slash line of .255/.368/.512, but since he slumped, he might bounce back in May. In 2021, Hoskins batted .302 with a .846 OPS, three home runs and 17 RBI in May.

In Hoskins' defense, the Phillies' schedule has seen them play 12 games against teams with the lowest opponent batting average, particularly the Mets, who hold their opponents to a batting average of just .193.

A revival of Hoskins' offense is pivotal for the rest of Philadelphia's lineup. For his career, Hoskins has belted 82 homers and driven in 230 runs in wins, but in losses, he's hit just 38 homers and 103 RBI. This is exemplary of the fact that when Hoskins is on top of his game, he's capable of carrying this team, and he's going to need to as the Phillies continue to fall in the division standings, currently five games out of the first place Mets.

Deputy Editor Lauren Amour contributed to this article.