From 2001 to 2011, the Milwaukee Brewers had just three different players start at first base on Opening Day. Richie Sexson started three, Lyle Overbay started two, and Prince Fielder started six. From 2012-2022, a span of 11 years, 11 different players started at the position on Opening Day in Milwaukee:
- 2012- Mat Gamel
- 2013- Alex Gonzalez
- 2014- Overbay
- 2015- Adam Lind
- 2016- Chris Carter
- 2017- Eric Thames
- 2018- Ryan Braun
- 2019- Jesus Aguilar
- 2020- Justin Smoak
- 2021- Keston Huira
- 2022- Rowdy Tellez
Tellez started at first base again in 2023, but it was soon apparent that he could not be relied upon there to be a consistent run producer on a team that had become a perennial playoff contender. As a result, the Brewers took a risk and signed free agent first baseman Rhys Hoskins.
Rhys Hoskins Had a Below-Average Year with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2024
From 2017-2022, Hoskins hit .242/.353/.492 and averaged 25 home runs and 68 RBI per season with the Philadelphia Phillies. In 2018, his second year in the Majors, he hit .246/.354/.496 with 34 home runs and 96 RBI. The following year, his batting averaged dropped to .226, but his on base percentage went up to .364 due to his NL-leading 116 walks. He also hit 29 home runs and drove in 85 runs.
In 2021 and 2022, Hoskins hit .246/.333/.489 while averaging 29 home runs and 79 RBI per season.
But in Spring Training of 2023, Hoskins tore his ACL and was out for the year. The Phillies moved Bryce Harper to first base that year to replace him, a move that effectively spelled the end of his tenure in Philadelphia.
There was no telling how Hoskins would play coming off of a torn ACL, which is what made his signing a risk for Milwaukee. In his first year with the Brewers, he hit well below his career averages, slashing .214/.303/.419 with 26 home runs and 82 RBI.
Following the season, Hoskins picked up his $18 million player option, ensuring that he would be back with Milwaukee for at least one more year.
Milwaukee Brewers First Baseman Rhys Hoskins Finally Has 2 Strong Legs
Mark Hoffman
On Saturday, the Brewers took on the Kansas City Royals in a Spring Training game. Hoskins hit two home runs on the day, including one that traveled across the street from the American Family Fields of Phoenix and into the parking lot of a shopping center.
Pretty sure @rhyshoskins just hit this ball to a different zip code pic.twitter.com/8gO54pEFaz
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) March 1, 2025
The two bombs on Saturday gave Hoskins three for the spring.
Afterwards, Hoskins told reporters that, for the first time in a while, he feels like he has two legs in the box. Apparently, recovering from that ACL tear in 2023 affected his whole 2024 season with Milwaukee:
Rhys Hoskins finally has two legs under him. And two long HRs on Saturday: pic.twitter.com/JQ81qRnpsv
— Todd Rosiak (@Todd_Rosiak) March 1, 2025
“I just, honestly, I feel normal, strong. It’s nice to have two legs in the box.”
If Hoskins can hit for a better average and draw more walks in 2024, he will well be worth the $18 million the Brewers are paying him this year. And if he was hitting 26 home runs in Milwaukee on a knee that was less than 100%, fans should be excited about his potential power with that other knee back to full strength.
More Milwaukee Brewers News from Wisconsin Sports Heroics
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- Are 1 Brewers Pitcher’s Early Spring Training Struggles Concerning?
- Brewers Encouraged to Reach Out to 1x World Series Champion Amid JB Bukauskas Injury
- Could Vinny Capra Make the Brewers Opening Day Roster?
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