Philadelphia Phillies Ex-Fan Favorite Predicted To Opt Into Deal With Current Team

The Philadelphia Phillies former slugger looks like he'll stay in the National League.

Sep 16, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first base Rhys Hoskins (12) and Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) talk to each other during a pitching change in the sixth inning at American Family Field. / Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies looked a bit different over the past two seasons without Rhys Hoskins in their lineup. Hoskins was on the team in 2023, but he didn't play in a game after tearing his ACL in spring training.

In the following offseason, the right-handed slugger signed a contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Hoskins' situation with the Phillies was a tough one to come to terms with. Once viewed as a fan favorite on and off the field, Hoskins got the short end of the stick when free agency came around.

It's impossible to blame Philadelphia for not giving him a new deal, as doing so wouldn't have made sense for multiple reasons. Not only was he coming off an ACL injury, but Bryce Harper was the clear long-term option at first base, leaving the California native without a place to play. 

It's always possible that one day, he'll return and become the long-term designated hitter, but for now, that seems unlikely. 

Hoskins will have to make a decision this offseason regarding his contract, as he has a player opt-out. If he opts into his deal, he'd get paid $18 million in 2025. 

He wasn't the same player for the Brewers that he was with the Phillies, but it would've been unfair to believe he could've been after dealing with that injury. Still, despite that, he hit 26 home runs and had 82 RBI.

Outside of those numbers, he had career lows in most other categories, including OPS+, where he posted a 98 in that department.

From his perspective, opting into his deal would make sense. 

Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac predicted that he'd do just that. 

"The 31-year-old signed a 2 year, $34M free agent contract on the heels of a torn ACL that included $12M in 2024, $18M in 2025, & a $4M buyout on an $18M mutual option in 2026. Hoskins had a productive 2024 campaign (especially as it pertains to power), but it’s tough to imagine him finding a better situation both financially and from a team standpoint."

31 years old, Hoskins could opt into this deal and still hit free agency in 2026, as he has another player option in the 2025 offseason. 

If he does what he did during his time in Philadelphia, he could be in line to get a decently sized contract. However, age won't be on his side at that point in his career, so it just goes to show how much that injury changed his career.