Over the past week or so, the Milwaukee Brewers have been absolutely mashing the baseball. Christian Yelich, Isaac Collins, Jackson Chourio. Even Joey Ortiz got in on yesterday’s fun with his first ever two-homer game. Over at first base, Rhys Hoskins has struggled this month but picked it up lately, smacking a pair of dingers in the past week. In year two as a Brewer, he’s added 30 points to his batting average and is closer to his pre-injury production in Philadelphia. He’s Milwaukee’s best option in the cleanup spot, which is where he is in the lineup card today against Pittsburgh.
Naturally, then, the Brewers are testing his value on the trade market…what? ESPN includes him in its latest list of trade candidates, but shipping Hoskins doesn’t make much sense.
Rhys Hoskins Is Appealing Trade Target…
To be fair: the list compiled by ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan does not predict that featured players will be traded, only that they have generated market activity. In their words, “Some of the players on the list are unlikely to be dealt but at least are being discussed in potential deals.”
They also clarify, “Players are ranked by value for their new team if traded, not likelihood of being dealt.” In the top 50 list, Hoskins comes in at no. 33.
It’s certainly understandable if other teams are asking about him. The 32-year-old first baseman is having a solid season and could bolster almost any lineup. His 12 homeruns rank sixth at the position. He has 40 RBIs in 249 at bats. He has a good eye, consistent pop, and he isn’t wallowing in the low .200s this season. In his second season back from a torn ACL, Hoskins is slashing a respectable .245/.339/.434.
His trade market appeal is also why the Brewers need him in their lineup. If the front office is getting calls, of course it makes sense to listen, but it’s a bit surprising – alarming? – for fans to see him named as a trade candidate.
But Milwaukee Brewers Should Buy at Deadline
If the Brewers do flip a first baseman, Jake Bauers, whose name has been circulating for a while now, seems the more likely choice. For some reason, he isn’t featured on the list.
Maybe Bauers’ market has cooled, but unless Milwaukee slips into the muck, trading Hoskins instead is not a move they should consider. Sure, the offense is humming now, but it’s not like the roster is crowded with big names or reliable track records. Being able to plug Hoskins into the middle of the order every day is a valuable comfort.
The way the Brewers are going, they should look to be buyers, not sellers, at the deadline. If they do both, outgoing players should be supplementary, marginal pieces, guys like Bauers or an excess starting pitcher. 7-3 in their last ten and 44-36 overall, Milwaukee occupies second place in the NL Central and owns the third wild card spot, ahead of St. Louis via tiebreaker. They are just two games behind the Mets for the top wild card, 2.5 behind the Cubs in the division, and in the thick of the playoff picture. Barring a meltdown, adding, not subtracting, should be the focus this July.
For More Great Wisconsin Content
Follow me on X at @ezsniper14 and follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!
