The injuries continue to mount in Clearwater. First baseman Rhys Hoskins tore his ACL going back to play a groundball in Thursday’s spring training game. The injury appeared to have occurred when he stepped from the dirt infield onto the grass. He fell to the ground holding his left knee. Hoskins will need reconstructive surgery and while the team has not officially ruled him to be out for the season, ACL injuries are slow to rehab from and it is highly unlikely that he would be released to play before the final day of the season.
It is not out of the question that Hoskins has now played his final game in a Phillies uniform. He is eligible for free agency following the season, although the injury leaves his viability as a free agent in doubt.
Hoskins turned 31 just a week ago and has spent his entire career with the Phillies after being drafted by the Phillies in the fifth round of the 2014 Draft out of Cal State Sacramento. In six MLB seasons, Hosking slashed .242/.353/.492 in over 2,800 plate appearances, hitting 148 home runs and driving in 405 runs, while scoring 392 runs for the Phillies. His length of time with the team makes his the second longest tenured Phillie on the roster behind only Aaron Nola. In his debut season, Hoskins finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting, hitting 18-48-.259/.396/.618 in 50 games. He led the NL in walks with 116 in 2019.
Internally, the Phillies could move Alec Bohm to first base full-time and play Edmundo Sosa at third base or could play Darick Hall at first against right-handed hitters and use Bohm there against lefties. Hall hit just .083 against lefties last season in only 12 plate appearances. In two seasons at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Hall has hit 8-35-.207/.264/.378, while hitting 34-114-.255/.358/.497 against right-handers.
Looking externally, the Phillies could wait and watch the waiver wire for first basemen, particularly a right-handed hitting first baseman, to be released. They could also work the phones in search of a trade for a first baseman with those options possibly including CJ Cron and Cristian Walker, who are both thought to be available in deals. Cron is a free agent following this season and Walker is signed through 2024.