Phillies' Hoskins to Have ACL Surgery on Thursday

Slugging 1B likely to miss entire season after spring training injury.

Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins tore his ACL during a spring training game last week and is likely to miss the entire season with the injury.

We now know that while the Phillies are starting off their National League title defense on Thursday, Hoskins will be in the operating room, starting on the road to recovery.

The injury is a devastating blow for the 30-year-old slugger, who will miss out on one of the prime years of his career, and it's a devastating blow for a Phillies team that has gone all-in on trying to get back to and win the World Series.

The Phillies signed shortstop Trea Turner and made moves in the rotation (Taijuan Walker) and bullpen (Gregory Soto and Craig Kimbrel) in an effort to get back and now will have to play without Hoskins, and without Bryce Harper for a portion of the season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. 

Hoskins hit 30 homers a season ago and brought in 79. He also played in 156 games last year and now leaves a gaping hole at first base. 

Darick Hall is likely to get a bunch of playing time at first base in his absence. He played 41 games for the Phillies last year, belting nine home runs and bringing home 16. 

It's been suggested that Hall could platoon at first base, maybe with Alec Bohm. Back on March 24, President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski told the Philadelphia Inquirer he wasn't committing to that idea.

"“We have not made that decision yet,” Dombrowski said of a possible platoon. “I know he’ll get the majority of playing time, but of course the majority of playing time we’ll face righties. But I don’t know what we’re going to do in that regard. We haven’t discussed that part of it yet."

The Phillies open up the season on Thursday at the Texas Rangers.