Rhys Hoskins is now a former Philadelphia Phillies player, but that didn’t stop the team from tipping their cap to their former first baseman on Friday.
Earlier this week Hoskins agreed to a two-year, $34 million deal with the Milwaukee Brewers, satisfying their need for a corner power bat and ending his six-year career with the Phillies.
Philadelphia selected Hoskins in the fifth round of the 2014 MLB Draft and he made his MLB debut in 2017.
When he arrived he brought a solid bat, one that hit 148 home runs and drove in 405 runs in six seasons before he tore the ACL in his knee last Spring Training. This offseason, the Phillies moved superstar Bryce Harper to first base full-time in an effort to keep the slugger healthy for the long-term.
But he and his wife, Jayme, also brought a big heart with them.
Per The Athletic, the pair raised more than $1 million for the Muscular Dystrophy Association while they connected with local children who suffered from the disease.
Supporting MDA was a long-term proposition for the pair. Hoskins worked at an MDA camp when he was a teenager and it’s also where he met Jayme. One MDA administrator told The Athletic that Rhys is “beloved” in the MDA community.
For that, and for so many on-field reasons, the Phillies posted a tribute video to Hoskins.
“For your relentless passion.
For your dedication to our community.
For your leadership both on and off the field.
For everything.
Thank you,
@rhyshoskins ❤️”
The post caught the attention of Jayme, who retweeted it with her own message for the city and for the fans.
“well okay we love you, philadelphia.
thank you for the memories ❤️”
While Phillies fans will miss Hoskins, they will clearly miss Philadelphia. But Milwaukee gives him a chance to join a team that, like the Phillies, went to the playoffs a season ago.
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