Rhys Hoskins, the former face of the Philadelphia Phillies franchise is garnering some interest in MLB free agency around the league. After suffering a torn ACL in MLB Spring Training last year, the first baseman missed the entire 2023 MLB season. Now that he is healthy, Hoskins is back and able to provide teams with 30 home run power while playing average defense at first. There was plenty of speculation near the end of the season and heading into the winter that the Phillies may be interested in bringing Hoskins back, even if on just a one-year deal. However, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski put those rumors to rest when he said the team would not pursue a reunion with the fan-favorite.
Now, the Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly interested in Hoskins according to Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith. The Blue Jays were heavily involved in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes with some reports going as far to say that the deal between the two sides was complete. After missing out on Ohtani, the Blue Jays undoubtedly hope to make a splash and make some additions to their roster. Toronto has World Series aspirations and they already have a talented roster. Adding a veteran presence like Hoskins, who has competed in a World Series and was a vaunted leader in the Phillies clubhouse, would make a great addition to a promising Blue Jays squad.
There is plenty of interest in Hoskins from other teams, so it may come down to who is willing to allow Hoskins to play first base. He could be a risky investment to put in the field as he will be just one year removed from surgery by the time the 2024 MLB season begins.
