Rhys Hoskins' departure stings in a way few others do

We knew it was coming.

In November, Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski announced the organization’s plan to make Bryce Harper an everyday first baseman in 2024. Kyle Schwarber was locked in as the team’s designated hitter, leaving free agent Rhys Hoskins without a defensive position.

Now he’s a Brewer.

Hoskins’ departure is heartbreaking for many of us. Almost immediately after his 2017 arrival with the big-league club, Rhys forged a special relationship with Phillies fans. Six years later the bond endures.

The Big Fella made his major league debut on August 10 of the ‘17 season after an Aaron Altherr injury opened up a spot in the Phillies’ outfield. Hoskins hadn’t played left field since college (and it showed), but first base was blocked by Tommy Joseph. It’s hilarious in retrospect, but at the time, the Phillies wanted to give Joseph “more playing time [in the season’s] final seven weeks to gauge what kind of formula works best and allow Joseph to build some trade value heading into the winter.”

Hoskins went hitless in that first appearance, a 10-0 loss to Jacob deGrom and the Mets. He went 0 for 12 in his first three games. On August 13, he lined a single to left field for his first major league hit.

Then he went on a home run tear for the ages.

Hoskins hit two home runs on August 14 in San Diego. He hit another the next day. He hit eight home runs in nine games between August 19 and August 27.

The accomplishments piled up. He reached 10 home runs in fewer games (17) than any other player in major league history, reached 11 home runs in the fewest at-bats (64) in history, and collected 43 RBI in his first 39 games—the most by anyone not named Albert Pujols in that many games to start a career.

For a Phillies team that went 66-96 in 2017, Hoskins’ power surge gave fans a glimmer of hope for the future. The Phils’ social media folks dubbed the rookie “Rhys Lightning,” which never quite stuck but was certainly appropriate. Like a flash of lightning, Hoskins appeared from nowhere to light up the skies above Citizens Bank Park.

The warm feelings for Hoskins begin there, in the 50 games he played in his first year. But the big 24-year-old was just getting started.

The Phillies signed free agent Carlos Santana to play first base in 2018, leaving Rhys to struggle in left field. He didn’t struggle at the plate, however, slashing .246/.354/.496 (.850 OPS) and leading the team in home runs with 34. New manager Gabe Kapler’s Phillies faltered down the stretch that year, but reached 80 wins for the first time since 2012.

Before the 2019 season, the Phils opened up first base for Hoskins by trading Santana (along with JP Crawford) to the Mariners for Jean Segura, Juan Nicasio, and James Pazos. Rhys would then anchor the position for years, hitting 29 home runs in ‘19, 10 home runs in 41 games in 2020, and 27 home runs in 107 games in 2021. His OPS in those three seasons: .819, .887, and .864, respectively.

The Phillies had problems in those years, but Rhys Hoskins wasn’t one of them.

As time passed and players departed, Hoskins became the face of the franchise. Before Bryce Harper signed with the Phillies, before the team acquired JT Realmuto in a trade… there was Rhys. While Zack Wheeler was pitching for the Mets and Bryson Stott was playing college ball… there was Rhys. While we suffered through Pete Mackanin, Gabe Kapler, and Joe Girardi while waiting for Rob Thomson… well, you get it.

Rhys gave the most post-game interviews. He was the Phillies’ union representative. And, perhaps most importantly, he was heavily involved in the community. Hoskins’ wife Jayme became a Philadelphia celebrity as well, for reasons as big as her charitable work and as small as her purchase of beer for fans. Hell, fans even fell in love with the Hoskins family dog.

By 2022, just about everyone from the last-place 2017 Philadelphia baseball club was gone. When the Phillies’ playoff drought ended, only Aaron Nola, Zach Eflin, and Rhys remained from the ‘17 squad.

Nola, fittingly, was the starting pitcher on the night the Phils clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2011.

Just as fittingly, Rhys gave the emotional post-game interview that every longtime fan wanted to see that night. While many of his teammates were already drenched in champagne, Hoskins remained on the field and thanked everyone in the organization. His deep voice started to crack. He had always worn his emotions on his sleeve, always demonstrated that he was just as passionate about winning as the team’s fans.

Here, in this moment, it all came together. The long journey from 66-win team to playoff team was complete. “It’s a beautiful thing,” mused Hoskins as the interview concluded.

In October 2022, Hoskins batted for the Phillies for the final time. We didn’t yet know that it was the end, of course. Rhys didn’t either. But the man who began his career batting in between Tommy Joseph and Cameron Rupp now batted in between Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto. The man who debuted in a meaningless blowout loss to the Mets now finished his Phillies career in a World Series game.

On a bright Clearwater day the following Spring, like lightning, it ended in a flash. Rhys tore his ACL while fielding a ground ball. He rehabbed intensely with his eyes on a 2023 World Series at-bat, but it wasn’t in the cards.

One of the most brutal aspects of the Phils’ postseason collapse against Arizona is that it may have robbed us of one final, magical Hoskins moment with the team.

Rhys led the club out of its seemingly never ending rebuild. He fulfilled the hopes of fans who watched him crush home run balls in 2017. He didn’t win the ultimate prize, but he came damn close.

He’ll play elsewhere next season. But Rhys Hoskins is a Philadelphia Phillie for life.