Does he fit for Fenway: Rhys Hoskins
Second edition of an off-season look at the top free agents and if they fit for the 2024 Boston Red Sox
Looking for a right-handed slugger at a discount? Rhys Hoskins could be the answer to that. The 1st baseman fits into the “bargain bin shopping” that the Red Sox have done over the last few years with guys coming off (or still rehabbing) injuries like James Paxton and Adam Duvall. Having torn his ACL in spring training last year, Hoskins missed the entire 2023 season. Despite the injury, here’s why Hoskins could make sense for the Sox.
Offensive Profile
Hoskins swing might just be built for Fenway. A right-handed bat with massive pull power, he would be filling the Adam Duvall role. In terms of career averages, Hoskins is nearly identical to Duvall in metrics such as Pull%, HardHit%, HR/FB ratio, and more. A big difference between the two is Hoskins is more susceptible to putting the ball on the ground than Duvall, but that also comes with a considerably better strikeout percentage.
The slugger strikes out about 25%, which is still a lot, but not close to Duvall’s 31.2%. Also walking at a career average of 13.7%, it’s significantly higher than Duvall’s 6.7%. Despite comparing them, this isn’t just about stacking Hoskins up against the former Red Sox outfielder. It’s about filling the role that Duvall served in the lineup.
Positional Fit
Hoskins is an extremely below-average defender. He began his career playing some left field, though it was clear early on he wasn’t an outfielder. Then becoming a 1st baseman, he split time there and as a designated hitter, upon the introduction to the position in the NL. You wouldn’t want to have to rely on Hoskins as your everyday 1st baseman, but thankfully with Triston Casas, you wouldn’t have to.
He would get the vast majority of at-bats at DH while occasionally spelling Casas in the field against lefties. That would require Yoshida to stick in leftfield, which is not as big of a deal as some have made it out to be.
Contract
Due to Hoskins injury, his contract will come at an extremely affordable price. Being mostly held to DH, the lack of right-handed power bats on the open market may make his price higher than you’d expect for a 31-year-old coming off of an ACL tear.
In this situation, it’s common to see a player take a one-year “prove it” deal. Hoskins comes with baggage due to this injury, but he should still command a contract somewhere around $12 to $16 million. Had he played even 60 games last season, more years could’ve been a more likely outcome.
Verdict
Yes, Hoskins does fit for Fenway and the 2024 Red Sox. His right-handed power would be a massive addition to this lineup. With that said, over the past few days, the sentiment has been that the organization is currently comfortable with its position player situation. Regardless, a bat still needs to be added and Hoskins would fit the mold of what’s needed.
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Still have to sh-t can Dalbec.