One player that is under constant scrutiny is Philadelphia Phillies‘ first baseman, Rhys Hoskins.
Despite being a part of the Phillies since 2017, Hoskins has always been a hot topic of conversation among fans.
That is because of his inconsistencies at the plate, and his terrible defense at first base.
Last season, Hoskins hit .246 with 30 home runs and 79 RBIs.
But, it was his 169 strikeouts that made fans wish for something more.
Also, his 2022 OPS of .794 was the lowest of his six-year career.
Not to mention his .159 batting average in the playoffs left plenty to be desired.
One thing Hoskins has been good at in his career is getting on base.
He led the league in walks back in 2019 and had 72 last season.
But, his inability to play a good first base has led to plenty of issues for the Phillies.
According to Fangraphs, last season the 29-year-old had -6 outs above average, and -5 fielding runs prevented.
Simply put, he was a liability at first base.
Most fans will remember the costly defensive miscues in the playoffs that cost the Phillies a few games.
Like missing a ground ball against the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS that eventually cost them the game.
His 14 errors in the regular season last year led all first-basemen in the league.
Despite the terrible defense, Hoskins’ ability to hit key home runs in the playoffs was massive to their success.
That time Rhys Hoskins' bat slam sent Philly into a FRENZY 😱
(via @MLB)pic.twitter.com/nmrxCUXJdG
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) December 10, 2022
Hoskins will officially be an unrestricted free agent after this upcoming season.
So if he can pick up his defensive value, and continue to produce at the plate there is still a place for him with the Phillies.
But, if he continues to struggle, it would not be a surprise to see them look elsewhere.
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