7:06PM: The Brewers will indeed call up Vaughn once Hoskins is placed on the IL, according to reporter Francys Romero.
3:34PM: Rhys Hoskins left the Brewers’ 3-1 win over the Marlins on Saturday due to a left thumb injury, and now faces a lengthy stint on the injured list. Initial x-rays were negative on Hoskins’ thumb, but Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the first baseman underwent an MRI that revealed a Grade 2 thumb sprain. Hoskins will be placed on the 10-day IL prior to the Brewers’ game with the Dodgers on Monday.
The injury occurred on a tag play at first base, as Hoskins had to lunge at a wide throw and tag out Miami’s Eric Wagaman. Hoskins showed immediate discomfort in the aftermath. Hoskins was able to finish the inning, but Jake Bauers took over as a pinch-hitter and then at first base for the remainder of the game.
The Grade 2 designation indicates a more severe variety of sprain, so chances are Hoskins will be out of action for at least a month. We’ll likely learn more specifics about a recovery timeline soon, and the exact timing could very well factor into the Brewers’ plans for the July 31st trade deadline.
If Hoskins is going to be sidelined for well into August or beyond, Milwaukee could consider adding a bat to help out at first base. Should Hoskins be projected for a return in early August, the club could stand pat with in-house options. Bauers is the obvious candidate, and Andrew Vaughn (acquired in a trade with the White Sox in mid-June) will probably be called up from Triple-A to team up with Bauers in a lefty/righty first base platoon. Utilityman Andruw Monasterio and even Sal Frelick (who has all of one career inning as a first baseman) could potentially chip in at the cold corner if necessary.
It should be noted that the thumb sprain also likely removes any chance that Hoskins himself could be traded at the deadline. Though the Brewers are competing for a playoff berth, Hoskins is an impending free agent who still has roughly $8.25MM of his $18MM salary for 2025 left to be paid out. (He is also owed a $4MM buyout on an $18MM mutual option for 2026 that will surely be bought out.) This price tag probably would’ve made it difficult for the Brewers to find a trade partner anyway, but the Vaughn trade created some speculation that Milwaukee might try to shed Hoskins’ salary at the deadline in order to address other needs for their postseason push. With payroll space at a premium, the Milwaukee front office has often tried to both buy and sell at the deadline regardless of the club’s position in the standings, with the 2022 deadline trade of Josh Hader standing out as the prime example of the Brewers’ flexibility.
Hoskins is hitting .242/.340/.428 with 12 homers, good for a 115 wRC+ over his 318 plate appearances. In what seemed like an echo of his 2024 season in Milwaukee, Hoskins also got off to a big start this year before drastically cooling off. The first baseman had an .892 OPS over his first 187 PA of the season and then just a .436 OPS in his following 83 PA, though Hoskins had started swinging the bat a lot better over the last couple of weeks.
Looking ahead to Hoskins’ free agency, an extended injury absence won’t help his chances of landing a multi-year contract. It was already going to be a bit of an uphill battle for Hoskins as a first base-only player entering his age-33 season, and it remains to be seen how his market might develop this winter. More immediately, of course, Hoskins is just focused on getting healthy and returning to help the Brewers both reach and succeed in the playoffs.
This seems like an extreme tactic to bring up Andrew Vaughn and justify the Civale trade. One can only hope.it will work.
As an aside, Dalbec is tearing up Nashville, lol
lol
nm, Vaughn got pulled from the game in Nashville today. No surprises here, lol.
Dalbec has always crushed AAA pitching but has never been able to hit ML pitching. He is the definition of a quad-A player.
To justify it? Civale wouldn’t crack their rotation, is “just a guy”. The trade has way more upside if Vaughn can get on track, the downside is so minimal. I would say he isn’t missed so far, highly doubt we’ll remember Civale by September, unless Vaughn forces his way onto the roster.
I could see Vaughn hitting at AmFam.
With a better organization like the Brewers, Vaughn can definitely become a productive hitter.
Oh no. Now the Phillies can’t trade for him, make Bryce change his position and watch him stink for the rest of the season
About a month or so ago several of us engaged in a discussion regarding the quality of Hoskins’ defense. I was among those who contended that Hoskins is possibly the worst defensive first basemen we’ve ever seen.
To Hoskins’ credit: this past Thursday I was watching the Brewers and Hoskins made a magnificent play on a ball smoked down the first base line. He not only prevented extra bases by snagging it, he also made a nice feed to the pitcher to get the out. I was so impressed I wanted to be sure to make mention of it somewhere here in the comment section at some point.
I still think Hoskins is a hack defensively, but that play was beautiful and he deserves recognition. Well done Rhys, sorry to hear about your injury.
Was that the Brett Baty rope down the line, Rhys gloves it and pivots to Quintana? That was a very nice play, good range too. His Trade Value was amassing, this is a tough break for both player and club. Cheers Donnie O!
Yes, Gwynning, that one exactly!
And yes, Pete’sView, worst in the majors.
The worst defensive first baseman in the Majors?
Out of curiosity, was that play when he sprained his thumb?
I don’t think so, it was a clean play… but maybe I missed something?
Going back, no it wasn’t. He injured himself in the next series, with the Marlins.
Rhys is a great guy that is missed in Philly. He inserted himself into the fabric of the team and had a bunch of great moments. When he was hot, he was very productive -when cold he was ice cold. And I never saw any 1B clank more chest high throws off of his glove…a very strange thing to see.
I feel for him and wish him well; would love to see him in the clubhouse but the time is past for the Phils to think about bringing him back.
Having watched Hoskins for a year and a half, I’d agree with your assessment for all of last year. The worst first baseman I’ve seen in MLB. But this season he’s improved considerably. I’ve wondered if being a full year removed from his serious injury made the difference but this season he’s played close to average defensively. He’s picked any number of throws in the dirt… which of course a professional 1B is expected to do…but last year if a throw bounced, there was almost no hope at all.
This tells me you never saw Prince Fielder play.
I’m assuming he means currently… otherwise Eric Hosmer would like a word.
Sometimes my friend a blind squirrel does find a nut
Honestly they need to DFA’D Bauers and then bring Martinez jr and Balbec up. Or just give Black a fair chance.
lol
Vaughn has been doing quite well in Nashville. I hope he gets the chance to quiet the naysayers. I don’t see him wasting a new opportunity to his career.
He always had talent, he just needed a better organization to guide him.
The return (Vaughn) for Civale was criticized when it first happened, but the Brewers knack for getting something out of other team’s castoffs could strike again now.
Tough on Hoskins and maybe the Brewers, because now his value at the trade deadline will be badly diminished.
He had close to zero trade value anyway. He’s an average at best hitting first baseman who can’t field or run and is paid like a very good player. It’s not like you can get much for that, even from a contending team hoping for a veteran spark.
There never was much trade value. In 1.5 seasons with the Brewers he has a 0.9 WAR and he makes $18m.
Not resigning Santana and bringing in Hoskins for more than twice the $$ should tell you what kind of players Murphy & the front office wants for this team and the typical Brewers mindset. Just one of many examples. Also see Avans, Vaughn, etc. “It’s not about the talent, it’s about the person”- P. Murphy
Ryan O’Hearn for Joey Ortiz and DL Hall, LFG!
You must be an Orioles fan lol. Zero chance Ortiz or Hall get traded at the deadline, let alone for an expiring contract in O’Hearn, to the team in which the Crew originally acquired them from haha
It was a joke, brother. I do not actually expect the Orioles to re-acquire the exact same players they traded away for Burnes less than a year and a half ago, nor would I really want them to- the focus of any seller trades the Orioles do this month needs to be on pitching prospects.
Got it. O’Hearn wouldn’t be a bad piece to flip, having a decent year. Just don’t know what he’d fetch in return.