Former Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins appears to be getting more option on the free-agent market. On Saturday MLB.com reported that the Seattle Mariners have shown interest in Hoskins, who didn’t play in 2023 due to an injury. Earlier this season Hoskins hit free agency after the Phillies opted to move Bryce Harper to first base in 2024. While they haven’t ruled out a reunion, by moving Harper to first base Hoskins would have to find a new position, which appears unlikely given the roster’s current construction.
That puts Hoskins in the position of looking for a new team after nearly a decade in the Phillies’ organization after he was selected in the fifth round of the 2014 MLB Draft. Hoskins is just one of the options that the Mariners are exploring, per the report. But joining a team on the west coast would get Hoskins closer to home. He was born in Sacramento and then went to college at Sacramento State. Previously, the Chicago Cubs have been linked to Hoskins, as the Cubs have an acute need at the position as Cody Bellinger is in free agency and the team is exploring Christopher Morel playing the position. Hoskins would be a low-cost option for any team interested in signing him, thanks to the ACL tear that kept him out the entire season. Recently, The Athletic projected that he could get a one-year, $15 million deal in free agency. Why? He has a .492 career slugging percentage and typically hits in the middle of the order. In 2022, when he was last healthy, he had 30 home runs and a .794 OPS. He averaged 20 to 30 home runs per year. A one-year deal, with a potential option, would give Hoskins a chance to prove he’s healthy and has recaptured his previous form — and a chance to test free agency again in 2025.
