From 2001-2011, the Milwaukee Brewers had three different Opening Day starters at first base: Richie Sexson, Lyle Overbay, and Prince Fielder. From 2012-2022, they had 10 different starters at first base, with no player starting there for consecutive seasons. Fans may remember fondly (or not so fondly) players like Corey Hart, Yuniesky Betancourt, Mark Reynolds, Adam Lind, Chris Carter, Eric Thames, Jesus Aguilar, Thames again, Justin Smoak, Daniel Vogelbach, and Rowdy Tellez.
When Tellez started at first base for Milwaukee again in 2023, he became the first Brewers first baseman since Fielder to start on consecutive Opening Days.
Rhys Hoskins Manned First Base for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2024
Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Last season, of course, the Brewers signed former Philadelphia Phillies slugger Rhys Hoskins to place first base. He was coming off of a 2023 season that saw him not play at all due to a torn ACL that he suffered in spring training. Milwaukee gave him a two-year $34 million deal that includes a mutual option worth $18 million in 2026 (with a $4 million buyout).
Hoskins had a decent first season in Milwaukee, though it was obvious that he had missed an entire season before playing for the Brewers. In six seasons with the Phillies, Hoskins hit .242/.353/.492 and averaged 36 home runs and 98 RBI per 162 games.
Last year with the Brewers, Hoskins hit .214/.303/.419 with 26 home runs and 82 RBI. He was a clubhouse leader and provided decent power, but his production also would not have made him worth more than $17 million on the free agent market.
As a result, Hoskins exercised his player option for the 2025 season and will return to Milwaukee next year.
Rhys Hoskins’ Decision Make Keep the Milwaukee Brewers from Signing Paul Goldschmidt
According to a report by Stephen Mottram of Sports Illustrated, the Brewers were planning on pursuing free agent first baseman Paul Goldschmidt in the even that Hoskins turned down his player option. Not only were they going to make him an offer, they were going to make him an offer he could not have turned down:
“The Brewers would love to find a way to get former Cardinals All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt on their roster, and would have been all-in if first baseman Rhys Hoskins had opted out of his contract.”
This is surprising given Milwaukee’s history of not being able to find a consistent first baseman. Hoskins may have played below his career averages, but it was his first season back from an ACL injury and he is still just 31 years old.
Goldschmidt, on the other hand, has been in a clear steep decline for two years now. After winning the NL MVP Award in 2022 by hitting .317/.404/.578 with 35 home runs and 115 RBI, Goldschmidt’s production has decreased significantly in each of the past two seasons.
In 2023, he hit .268/.363/.447 with 25 home runs and 80 RBI. Last year, he hit .245/.302/.414 with 22 home runs and 65 RBI.
And he is 37 years old.
Hoskins should be better in 2025 than he was in 2024 because he is no longer trying to get back into game shape after missing an entire season.
It sounds like his decision may have saved the Brewers from themselves in this case.
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