Brewers Open To Trading First Baseman Rhys Hoskins

[Brock Beauchamp]

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic wrote in a recent trade rumors round-up that the Brewers are open to moving Rhys Hoskins for salary relief.

Hoskins will be difficult to move, especially right now. There are a slew of first base free agents still on the market including Pete Alonso, Christian Walker, Carlos Santana, and others. It's hard to envision the Brewers being able to find a taker on Hoskins' contract until most, if not all, of those options are off the board.

Hoskins underperformed in 2024, posting a 98 OPS+. Convincing a team to trade for him includes getting them to buy into a Hoskins bounce back season in 2025. Hoskins is owed $18 million in 2025 and has a mutual option in 2026 with a $4 million buy out.

View full rumor

[Rick Daltons Flamethrower]

That would so awesome if they could trade him... trade him and even  pay part of his salary. 

[jay87shot]

I am would happily trade Rhys as long as we can spend that money on a 3B and another 1B option. As long as we don't just trade Rhys and then sign someone to like a 1/3 million and pocket the savings. I would think we either need to take a bad contract back or eat 6-8 million to make any deal work with the poor numbers last year. As others have mentioned, there is a decent chance he turns back to the .250/.350 hitter with 35 HR's so it isn't like we should just dump him to get rid of him. There needs to be a plan to get back that production.

Here is something I would look at.

1)Trade Rhys and Peguero (maybe eat a couple million) to Arizona/NYY/NYM for a lotto prospect

2) Sign Kim 1/12-15 with a bigger option 2025

3) Trade for Nate Lowe (or Ryan Mountcastle) for Aaron Civale or 2 mid level prospects

This probably depends on a few things but would sure up 1B and 3B improving defense and hopefully the offense if Kim is more 2023 than 2024. It also allows a path for our young 3B or Durbin. 

[TURBO]

Civale stabilizes our rotation, I think it makes no sense for so many to think he his now expendable just because we got Cortes.

We still have to field a dependable rotation, right now isn't the time to start dealing it away with so many question marks surrounding Woodruff.

 

[Underachiever]

Please keep Civale. I will believe Woodruff is back when he is actually back. Maybe not even then. I'll let you know in October.

4374 outs needed in 162 games, give or take. A guy like Civale, who can get 450-500 of them, is incredibly valuable. Cortes, Peralta, Myers, the same. Several hundred more from some other starters, then start up the bullpen shuttle to get the rest of them.

 

[brewmann04]

I think they attach Black to ant Hoskins trade.

[Harold Hutchison]

4 hours ago, brewmann04 said:

I think they attach Black to ant Hoskins trade.

Perkins is a better option to attach. Sign Santana as a replacement (get Gold Glove-level defense) and move Black to LF, Chourio to RF, Frelick to 4th OF, 

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

14 hours ago, Harold Hutchison said:

Perkins is a better option to attach. Sign Santana as a replacement (get Gold Glove-level defense) and move Black to LF, Chourio to RF, Frelick to 4th OF, 

The Brewers aren't moving a 24-year-old who just won a Gold Glove to 4th OF. Come on.

[NOMAAM]

Like the idea of bringing Santana back.  As for 3rd my guess is one of the three.  Moncada, Drury, or DeJong.  Unless they somehow come out of the Bergman/Arrendo musical chair landing a 3 rd baseman.  Bohm, Parades, or a young Detroit 3B .

[Frisbee Slider]

Better than being closed off on trading Hoskins? 🤷‍♂️

[jesusoftheapes]

The only trade here that makes sense is if the A's need to bolster their $ situation and require a investment to make things right for their money situation.    There is no trading out of the Hoskins issue otherwise.    He cost too much and did too little in 2024 to ever bring in the trade value needed to get past the investment.  Hoskins fills a need the Brewers do not have in place to replace. Hoskins bat is  the most powerful on the team and he and everyone else is hoping for a better 2025 but that is a mystery to everyone and may not happen.  Hoskins could be washed out an incapable of getting better at this stage of his career.    The signing was a good one if Hoskins had played at Philly levels because he would have optioned out of the 2025 part of the contract which was always the plan there.  Hoskins 2024 was not terrible though paying him 20 million dollars for it was.  

 

Whatever baseball has cooked up with the L.V A's(that still sounds insane to say) it is the ONLY longshot chance to get out of this contract situation and that to me sounds like it will never happen even if the A's are violating the amount of money they are carrying.   If the Brewers somehow spin this Hoskins contact into the acquisition of Brent Rooker all while moving this extremely expensive contract to the A's payroll it would go down as one of the most savvy moves in baseball history.   How it happens would be impossible to understand but that is the current state of professional baseball in 2025.    Nothing makes sense. 

[jesusoftheapes]

On 12/17/2024 at 8:54 AM, Rick Daltons Flamethrower said:

That would so awesome if they could trade him... trade him and even  pay part of his salary. 

where would the 2025 Brewers get any power hitting from if Hoskins is traded?  The onfield lack of power hitting on this roster right now says moving your only sure 25 homer hitter seems to be a massive mistake.    

 

I think Hoskins will have a much better 2025 than his 2024 and will be needed through the coming season if this team has plans to compete.  His money was planned out before they signed him.  This franchise does not do money without massive planning beforehand so this idea they screwed up bad is press created and not really real.    

[jesusoftheapes]

20 hours ago, Harold Hutchison said:

Perkins is a better option to attach. Sign Santana as a replacement (get Gold Glove-level defense) and move Black to LF, Chourio to RF, Frelick to 4th OF, 

The level of disrespect given to Perkins is madness.  Perkins is proven Golden Glove level outfield and is one of this teams most dependable players.   Switch hitter with lots to still do in this league.  Perkins belongs on this roster and all the haters of the man need to stop it already!  The guy is fun as hell to watch play and he is the best hitter we have against left handed pitching.    There is no world where Tyler Black is more valuable than Blake Perkins.   

 Blake is one of our best up and coming players and he always helps this team win .  I hate stat seekers who just do not watch the games enough to grade value of players.    Those are the folks who belittle Perkins and Sal more than any group and because Stats are what the media deems most important.  What they do is  help build the fallacy of negative value in these type of players.     You win with guys like Blake, Sal and Brice Turang because you developed them to fit the needs of the current franchise.    

Tyler Black is not that. He is a guy who just could not come up when all the other talent came up because he  just is not as good as they were.     The group we just brought over the past two seasons does(unlike Black)  fit the needs of the franchise and Blake Perkins is a big part of that.       I enjoy watching Blake Perkins and see him as nothing but a huge benefit to this team and I think fans of this Crew need to take a step back and reevaluate many of the names on this roster that you have written off as not worthy because they are the heart and soul of this baseball team.   

[jesusoftheapes]

6 hours ago, Ron Robinsons Beard said:

The Brewers aren't moving a 24-year-old who just won a Gold Glove to 4th OF. Come on.

I think Sal is already 4th outfield. Even with the GG.  I think the outfield is Yelich, leftfield Perkins/Mitchell center with ,Chourio/Sal in Right. Though I still feel Sal moves infield this season even with Durbin being on board.   I think Sal will get a shot at 3rd base in Spring and I believe he wins that job because he is great infield and has been wasted in the outfield since they moved him there.  If you think his outfield play is stellar you should see what he can do on the infield!  The guy is a defensive dynamo and should be an infielder.     So in my mind he is still kinda in that 4th outfielder spot which the Brewers constantly rotate so no one player is locked into any outfield spot.     I know we forget about Yelich a lot outfield but he is still the best player on this roster and he plays outfield so his spot is a lock as he will not be a perminate DH just yet even if he should be.     

I think we need to look at the rotation much different than most teams as the rotation of players through outfield as a massive strength of the Crew.  Not having any locked into place outfielders gives the Brewers the most vestitle outfield in the majors.   I like that not one player is locked into having to start out there for any one reason. Not even a Golden Glove locks Sal into that permanently and that is a good thing. 

 

I get what you are saying and I agree with it for the most part.   I do believe however that just because Sal won a Golden Glove does it does not lock him into for being  the 3rd outfielder day one.  In fact his Golden Glove award to me shows me more that  he is being wasted in the outfield and that Sal belongs infield with the playmakers.     I believe Sal makes a Platinum Golden Glover candidate for 2nd or 3rd base if he moved infield same as if you leave him outfield.  I also think his hitting power is going to show itself in 2025 like never before on top of all that unsureness on defense positioning.   I expect a huge season from Sal in 2025.   After the smoke clears the Sal haters are going to be swimming in regret.  After Sal puts in a full 2025 no one will be able to downplay who he is as a Star in his own right.

  We will all see just how much value that guy adds to this franchise by seasons end.   If it all plays out as I believe, Sal is going to have his big breakout season this year no matter where he plays defense and when it's over we are all going to be much bigger Sal Freilick fans.   

Dammit I just want baseball back.      

 

 

[jesusoftheapes]

On 12/17/2024 at 9:45 AM, Underachiever said:

Please keep Civale. I will believe Woodruff is back when he is actually back. Maybe not even then. I'll let you know in October.

4374 outs needed in 162 games, give or take. A guy like Civale, who can get 450-500 of them, is incredibly valuable. Cortes, Peralta, Myers, the same. Several hundred more from some other starters, then start up the bullpen shuttle to get the rest of them.

 

I do not know about the "incredible value" part of Civale but as it sits he is the 5th pitcher in the rotation.  .   IF Freddy is #1 and Cortez the #2, #3Tobias Myers is not behind Civale in the rotation and could still be the best pitcher in the rotation all over again,  DL Hall and Misiorowski have a real shot at the  in the starting rotation and will probably be in and out of the mix all season long if not a huge part of it.  This puts Civale out or at most the 5th rotation guy. 

Yes it has value but great value I do not see.  Civale is one of 50 pitchers like him who just take up innings and give up insane amounts of home runs to hitters as stopgap players who do not have the talent to be good or great and sit right in that Okay range.    He is not bad but he is as close to bad as you can get without being bad and it only takes one season of aging to put a player like him in that Bad category.     So unless you see value in him as a Bryce Wilson reliever type player I do not see the great value in keeping Civale around long term other than a pitcher who bides time until Hall and Mis get their starting game together for the big show.   

Also when we sign Sasaki on that January 13th date when he becomes available Civale becomes even more of a trade piece or a planned bullpen guy in 2025.   When or if Sasaki signs here many things will fall into place including the idea of what to do with Aaron Civale.    Unless they plan to bullpen Civale I do not see great value in a guy who just flat out gives up that more runs than anyone else and who has lost most of what made him good at this point in his career outside of a stopgap who is keeping a seat warm for youngsters like Sasaki, Mis, Hall and Gasser.    Civale is not a big part of the plan at all and is one of the least important players in the pitching room right now.   No matter how it plays out in 2025 I highly doubt Civale falls to the end of the season as any part of the Brewers roster unless he excels in the bullpen.    He is a good guy to keep around until they get Hall and Mis worked into the rotation and has not much value at all if this Sasaki thing plays out.       

If they can get anything for Civale they should do it.     He is just not good enough to spend too much energy thinking about and there are already better options on the roster who can take up innings as starters who can actually become better players.    

[TURBO]

Popping a bag of popcorn so I can sit and read the responses...

[jesusoftheapes]

On 12/17/2024 at 9:45 AM, Underachiever said:

Please keep Civale. I will believe Woodruff is back when he is actually back. Maybe not even then. I'll let you know in October.

4374 outs needed in 162 games, give or take. A guy like Civale, who can get 450-500 of them, is incredibly valuable. Cortes, Peralta, Myers, the same. Several hundred more from some other starters, then start up the bullpen shuttle to get the rest of them.

 

and I still count Woodruff as out until he proves something I do not believe he can after this many surgerys to his throwing arm.   So I am with you on the idea that Woodruff is probably no longer a starter even if he comes back and can get through a season.   The Bullpen would make a lot of sense for him as well.   

[jesusoftheapes]

On 12/17/2024 at 9:18 AM, TURBO said:

Civale stabilizes our rotation, I think it makes no sense for so many to think he his now expendable just because we got Cortes.

We still have to field a dependable rotation, right now isn't the time to start dealing it away with so many question marks surrounding Woodruff.

 

Well I do not.  Civale is a bad pitcher in my eyes with this his last chance to make it look better than it would have without Brewers pitching coaches aiding him along through his last real shot at improving himself before retirement forces his hand.    My biggest issue is that Civale gives up a ton of home runs.  That is not going away.  He is well past his prime and is not a serious pitching answer as an MLB pitcher for anyone anymore.   And I am telling you my bias has nothing to do with that giant can he has on the backside in baseball pants which shows his lack of f's given for keeping himself in top pitching shape as a pro more than anything but i digress.       I think the people who are pro Civale are those who only caught the end of the time he had here which was much improved from his first starts as a Brewer.   As i remember each start for Civale were struggle days for the Brewers and it never actually looked good when he did figure it out.  Only slightly better and this team is much too good to settle for someone as uninspiring as Aaron Civale when younger more talented pitchers sit just below the surface and who are more than ready to take on the Bigs.    His only real improvement as a Brewer was that he ditched the pre pitch action with his hands while.  Which were obvious accidental pitch tipping habits he had picked up and were causing him to get homered on often .   Outside of that correction he still gives up way to many runs and is not a guy you want to use in playoff baseball if you can help it.     Civale is not a good starting pitcher and is holding on to reliveance by the skin of his teeth.    I just cannot get on board because I have watched him pitch over the past couple seasons and when I do its ugly most nights.       I wish he was a high value vet with a lot of baseball ahead of him for the Crew.   I don't see that as true however..   The only value Civale holds in my opinion is a guy who can pitch the opening month until Misiorowski and Henderson shows what Myers and Gasser showed last season at about the same point.   When the call ups happen it will spell the end of Aaron Civale as a Brewers starter and then they can trade him or they can dabble with trying him in the Bullpen like they did in the playoffs.    It seemed to be a good fit then  

Now if you believe he can transition to the Bullpen and give relief innings that are effective is another topic I may be more willing to entertain but as a starter I am much more willing to give his spot to the kids like Henderson,Hall or Misiorowski  from day one and let them work out the young moments early in the season so they are honed for late season games of meaning and the Brewers have picked the best of the group to enter a good starting group.    The Brewers never do that though.  They always wait on rookie pitchers for the first month before they call up the youngster starters and that is where Civale fits in and where you find his value.  He is disposable in all ways which is valuable in many ways.  If the kids look too raw still he can stay and take up innings until they find a different replacement for him because he is not a serious option as a starter on a team with these aspirations.    .  When a players best quality offered becomes expendability you are always looking to improve that guy off the roster as a fan and as a baseball executive.    

I also think the Brewers are not done signing Star starting pitching.  I believe they will land Sasaki (I actually believe this lol) and that will leave Civale as a man without a home.   His time here is limited but that is the case with 3 of our starting lineup already so it is familiar territory with the Brewers brass.  

Whatever happens Civale is good to have around for now. There is 0 need to rush into a trade now.  His time to go will be in the coming season or somewhere after January 13th. 

 

Whatever happens with the guy I just want to thank you for giving me baseball topics to think and talk about . I am mid baseball withdrawal and every conversation is better than talking about how bad the NFL has become or what the Bucks are doing or not doing.   The truth is I just want baseball back and I thank you for posing a topic worth talking about.   

[LouisEly]

On 12/15/2024 at 8:09 AM, Brock Beauchamp said:

There are a slew of first base free agents still on the market including Pete Alonso, Christian Walker, Carlos Santana, and others.

The teams that they're leaving will need to replace them.

[NOMAAM]

Brewers will have to eat at least 5 million to trade him.  Or take on a bad contract as well.  Brewers most likely are stuck with him.

[Scooterfletcher]

On 12/17/2024 at 9:18 AM, TURBO said:

Civale stabilizes our rotation, I think it makes no sense for so many to think he his now expendable just because we got Cortes.

We still have to field a dependable rotation, right now isn't the time to start dealing it away with so many question marks surrounding Woodruff.

 

Turbo.   I totally agree with you .  Let’s keep our good karma going buddy!

[Harold Hutchison]

If Civale pitches like he did for the Crew or his six seasons in Cleveland (3.50 to 3.75 ERA, 160+ IP), then the smart call may be to extend a QO. He'll pass, and get a good-sized deal (say, over $50 million), and the Crew gets a first-round pick out of the deal.

[Playing Catch]

I don't care if the Brewers trade Civale or not, but let's not pretend he's irreplaceable. 

[Rick Daltons Flamethrower]

Just not seeing the value of Hoskons for an 18 million dollar contract. Really 25ish million because of the payoff to get out of the contract next year. i would surely love to see Yelich at first base some day. 

[BrewerFan]

10 hours ago, jesusoftheapes said:

where would the 2025 Brewers get any power hitting from if Hoskins is traded?  The onfield lack of power hitting on this roster right now says moving your only sure 25 homer hitter seems to be a massive mistake.    

 

I think Hoskins will have a much better 2025 than his 2024 and will be needed through the coming season if this team has plans to compete.  His money was planned out before they signed him.  This franchise does not do money without massive planning beforehand so this idea they screwed up bad is press created and not really real.    

Yeah, I really hate this idea.

We're looking at...what, eating 10M to facilitate a trade, then spend maybe 15M on a player like Goldy who may or may not even be an upgrade at this point.

He missed a year, came back, had a lower BABIP, two bad months in June and August and...he'll come back, a year removed from the ACL and I'd bet put up a 800 OPS ~30 HRs for another team that we gave him away to. Just seems like a bad idea and like we'll force this.

I'm more than happy to give Black, Bauers(hopefully some upgrade) and Hoskins the ABs at 1st and DH with the usual suspects filling in at DH.

No reason to create another hole we have to fix....unless you can actually get out of the contract and replace it with Walker or Goldschmidt and I think that's unlikely.