Brewers Sign Rhys Hoskins to Two-Year, $34-Million Deal, Add Thunder

[Matthew Trueblood]

In the big move for which Brewers fans have been waiting all winter, Matt Arnold and company have struck. The Crew has their big bat, their real first baseman, and the right-handed power their lineup sorely needed.

Image courtesy of © Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Former Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins has signed a two-year deal with the Brewers, worth $34 million. Jeff Passan dropped the late-night bomb.

BREAKING: First baseman Rhys Hoskins and the Milwaukee Brewers are finalizing a two-year, $34 million contract with an opt-out after the first season, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 24, 2024

This is the kind of deal for which Tim Muma pleaded right here, Tuesday morning. It's a major boost for an offense that was short on power last season, and a terrific fit for a team who previously planned (absent a superior alternative) to start Jake Bauers at first base quite a bit. Hoskins, for his part, gets a player-friendly structure, with the right to hit free agency again next winter or extend his stay for a second season, according to his performance and how he and agent Scott Boras perceive the market.

Whether he'll want to is hard to divine at the moment, for the same reasons that led to his being available at this price. Hoskins lost all of the 2023 season after suffering a major knee injury during spring training. Already a defensively middling first baseman, he figures to be limited to that position and/or DH duties, and he will turn 31 in March. The structure of this contract nods toward the fact that, unlike Boras client Cody Bellinger (who took a straight one-year deal last winter), Hoskins is at some risk of never getting his free-agent megadeal, even if he recovers relatively well from the injury and has a typical season for him this year. 

On Tuesday at Baseball Prospectus, Daniel Epstein wrote a good piece documenting and visualizing the dampening effect of age on free agents' earning power, especially once they reach age 31. Hoskins was never going to take a one-year deal without at least some measure of protection for him, but nor were the Brewers going to sign him to a long-term deal, in the shadow of that age milestone. This pact finds a happy medium.

If he does return at full strength (as expected), Hoskins would be a game-changing force for the heart of the Milwaukee batting order. This was a team who put the ball on the ground as much as any in baseball last year, including and especially at the top of the lineup. That not only meant too few home runs, but led to a lot of rally-killing double plays. Hoskins is one of the game's great fly-ball sluggers, getting to his power by driving the ball to his pull field with elevation on a consistent basis. Pencil him into the third or fourth spot in the batting order, and mentally, shift Bauers to the DH spot. This lineup just got much more potent.

The most interesting thing about the move, however, might be the mystery of what comes next. As Muma noted in his piece Tuesday morning, Hoskins barely fits into the best available estimates of the Brewers' 2024 payroll, gfven the limitations they face due to ownership's approach to the uncertain TV rights negotiations ahead. Will this addition be the last the team makes this offseason? Does it represent something of an all-in posture, whereby the club will keep Willy Adames, Corbin Burnes, and Devin Williams (but probably lose two of those three to free agency next winter, while also risking Hoskins opting out and wrestling with when to trade Williams)? Or might there be another shoe yet to drop?

It's impossible to know for sure, but in the moment, it feels more like the former scenario. Hoskins completes a roster good enough to walk confidently into the yard where the fight for the NL Central will happen, and by the middle of the summer or the onset of fall, it could be a good enough one to upset people en route to the World Series. At the very least, this should banish from everyone's mind any remnants of the notion that the team would sell off Adames, Burnes, and Williams, or even any two of them, before Opening Day. The Brewers remain the team to beat in the Central, and this move shows that they know it.

Are you excited about Hoskins? Where do you see the Brewers turning next? Jump into the comments and discuss.

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[Michael Trzinski]

He will hit 35 jacks if he stays healthy...mark it!!

[Jim French Stepstool]

I think it's kinda the best of both worlds. As mentioned, you weren't getting him for one year, and really don't want him for three IMO. If he stays for the 2nd year great, but I could see a scenario where it's no catastrophe if he doesn't.

Guys like Wilkin, Black, Clarke & Martinez are still potentially very important, just no longer with the same sense of urgency. Which is good.

As to what's next, I wouldn't be surprised if this is the last "biggie" of the off-season.

[jay87shot]

Oh he'll yes. I was getting worried.

Yes yes yes.

[Rick Daltons Flamethrower]

Good for the Brewers and Rhys. Clearly an upgrade from Bauer at first base. Brew Crew really needed a bigger bat at first. Short contract and we hold onto all our minor league gold. He will be a nice addition to some DHing. Looks like a win win for the team and player. Exciting! Here's hoping this is not the last move before training camp.

[jay87shot]

Such a big get, I thought he was going to the Cubs for sure.

Any chance we could add a high end starter on the cheap. Trevor Bauer is on my mind but could Shane Bieber (say Weimer and a couple lower prospects) be cheap enough. Maybe just get Woody back. I wouldn't mind taking a run at Jorge Polanco as well. We could offset salary by trading some relievers, Bauers, others. 

This signing changes my entire outlook on the next couple weeks. Nice

[Jason Wang]

Well, it looks like the only thing that aged worse than my take of "Rhys Hoskins is too expensive" is the Anthony Rendon contract.

[Brock Beauchamp]

What a pleasant surprise! I was solo parenting last night and basically checked out of the internet for the entire evening. Woke up to find the Brewers actually signed Hoskins, which I *maybe* gave them a 10% chance of doing.

[Samurai Bucky]

I was hoping this would be a guy they would bring on.  Let's GOOOOOOO!

[Sugarrayray]

14 hours ago, jay87shot said:

Such a big get, I thought he was going to the Cubs for sure.

Any chance we could add a high end starter on the cheap. Trevor Bauer is on my mind but could Shane Bieber (say Weimer and a couple lower prospects) be cheap enough. Maybe just get Woody back. I wouldn't mind taking a run at Jorge Polanco as well. We could offset salary by trading some relievers, Bauers, others. 

This signing changes my entire outlook on the next couple weeks. Nice

I wouldn’t mind any of those moves save Trevor Bauer. I would have to consider suicide if I ever found myself rooting for him :(

[brewmann04]

total egg on my face never seen this happening . but wow a stunner now looking forward to the next move