Pros and Cons of the Milwaukee Brewers Trading Rhys Hoskins

I've written this before but I think the problem is that that Rhys has good value as a DH, he was worth 0.2 offensive WAR (between 1.9-3.4 every other year, not including 2020). Since we have Yeli and Contreras who will likely need a vast majority of the DH time there isn't really a DH path for him.

If he does break the bat out for us and has a 3 WAR offense season the glove and baserunning likely makes that a 2 WAR season. For a team like the Brewers 2 WAR for $18 million isn't a great deal but I think everyone would take it in a heartbeat basically picking up the Willy slack. However I feel like there could be lots of ways we could find a 2 WAR 1st baseman cheaper. I am pretty confident that if Tyler Black provided even Rhys quality defense he would be worth over 2 WAR just because of the baserunning factor addition.  

The big question is how much would another team value him in a trade, coming of a poor season he is definitely going to have a negative value. My thought is that some DH/power needy team would put around a $8-12 million value on him, giving him a -6 to -10 million dollar value. Essentially saying we need to eat 6-10 million in a trade  or add addition players that reduce that value. Now we aren't a team that can really just eat 6-10 million but saving the 8-12 million might be worth it if we can spend the money elsewhere and replace the Hoskins value cheaper (Black/FA/trade).

One of my favorite trades to get rid of Rhys is sending Rhys and Civale to the Mets (say the Mets miss out on the top 4-5 bats in the market) for basically nothing and then using the money to sign a short term pitcher and then getting a 1B back for Devin (N Lowe, Mountcastle, Horwitz (plus), etc.)

Good article Tim on the pros and cons of a Hoskins trade.  I'd be surprised is Arnold could get good enough offers to justify a trade, but Arnold has surprised me before.

Arnold took control in November of 2020 and since that time the Brewers have missed the playoffs in only one year.  I happen to have the 2020 Brewers rooster in my computer files and took a look at the team.  Only one position player, Yelich, remains with the current team and only 3 pitchers, Woodruff, Peralta, and Williams are still on the rooster. That's a lot of wheeling and dealing and I might add, with great success.  I just thought your readers would be interested in that tidbit.

They will keep him for while imo

5 hours ago, jay87shot said:

I've written this before but I think the problem is that that Rhys has good value as a DH, he was worth 0.2 offensive WAR (between 1.9-3.4 every other year, not including 2020). Since we have Yeli and Contreras who will likely need a vast majority of the DH time there isn't really a DH path for him.

If he does break the bat out for us and has a 3 WAR offense season the glove and baserunning likely makes that a 2 WAR season. For a team like the Brewers 2 WAR for $18 million isn't a great deal but I think everyone would take it in a heartbeat basically picking up the Willy slack. However I feel like there could be lots of ways we could find a 2 WAR 1st baseman cheaper. I am pretty confident that if Tyler Black provided even Rhys quality defense he would be worth over 2 WAR just because of the baserunning factor addition.  

The big question is how much would another team value him in a trade, coming of a poor season he is definitely going to have a negative value. My thought is that some DH/power needy team would put around a $8-12 million value on him, giving him a -6 to -10 million dollar value. Essentially saying we need to eat 6-10 million in a trade  or add addition players that reduce that value. Now we aren't a team that can really just eat 6-10 million but saving the 8-12 million might be worth it if we can spend the money elsewhere and replace the Hoskins value cheaper (Black/FA/trade).

One of my favorite trades to get rid of Rhys is sending Rhys and Civale to the Mets (say the Mets miss out on the top 4-5 bats in the market) for basically nothing and then using the money to sign a short term pitcher and then getting a 1B back for Devin (N Lowe, Mountcastle, Horwitz (plus), etc.)

Trading him off by sending a prospect package with him so we can sign Goldschmidt sounds like a good plan to me.

10 hours ago, Ro Mueller said:

Closing my eyes and hoping for a Winkeresque bounce-back.

I hope so also and another off season for his knee to heal.  I honestly think his knee bothered him 3/4 of last season. 

On 11/27/2024 at 9:58 AM, LakeshoreLarry said:

Good article Tim on the pros and cons of a Hoskins trade.  I'd be surprised is Arnold could get good enough offers to justify a trade, but Arnold has surprised me before.

Arnold took control in November of 2020 and since that time the Brewers have missed the playoffs in only one year.  I happen to have the 2020 Brewers rooster in my computer files and took a look at the team.  Only one position player, Yelich, remains with the current team and only 3 pitchers, Woodruff, Peralta, and Williams are still on the rooster. That's a lot of wheeling and dealing and I might add, with great success.  I just thought your readers would be interested in that tidbit.

How about trading Rhys Hoskins for a next season 42 year old Justen Verlander? 

If Hoskins is moved it be around the deadline 

There is no world where trading Hoskins is real or even optional.  I do not see how any team out there would do the Brewers this favor.   No team needs a Hoskins . Alonzo cannot even find a contract and he is miles better than Hoskins.   Right now 1st base if the Running back of baseball it seems and the position is so undervalued.    Somehow we went from 3rd and 1st being power hitters for a team to Shortstops and 2nd base being the position of stat hitters.   I think Short leads all baseball in WAR.   

Is Hoskins worth 22 million for 2025?  Yes .  He is and his 2024 season numbers have 0 to do with anything.  The chances of Hoskins having a stand up season this year are very high.  Just like with Willy last season we are looking at a player who must play his best to garner another big contract after 2025.   So I expect Rhys will have a big season this year and with the loss of Adames the Brewers cannot afford to screw around and hope they find 55ish home runs without Hoskins and Adames in the order.       Hoskins ability to hit when the game is most on the line is worth keeping him on itself.    I hate that the Brewers did not get the Hoskins they really wanted to get when they signed him but they did get a leader who has a lot of Baseball in his head.   What he can teach the Turang, Sal and Chourio's of this roster is worth having him around as well.    Experienced stars develop inexperience and Rhys is that all day.  

No way there is a team out there dumb enough to just bail out the Brewers on Rhys money just to help the Brewers which is the only reason anyone would ever  think about a Hoskins trade.   I just do not believe anyone is serious about this in truth.     

Also this Mets Rumor would be EVIL. No player hated that franchise more than Hoskins and trading him to that place would be a jerk move.  

At this point he is our guy and his 2025 should look at least better than his 2024.   I believe Hoskins is poised for a big 2025.   That alone is worth the money it costs to keep him.   Back when there was doubt about the TV deal and money was no longer a sure thing this unloading of Hoskins was worth the conversation.  Now though with the new TV deal signed and money is not so hard to come by this is not a contract that is hurting the Crew and it should not be a conversation had by anyone until the deadline at least.       Hoskins helps this team and we need him.   It is that simple.