Milwaukee Brewers 1st Baseman Strangely Listed Among Trade Candidates This Summer

Rhys Hoskins Is Appealing Trade Target…

To be fair: the list compiled by ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan does not predict that featured players will be traded, only that they have generated market activity. In their words, “Some of the players on the list are unlikely to be dealt but at least are being discussed in potential deals.”

They also clarify, “Players are ranked by value for their new team if traded, not likelihood of being dealt.” In the top 50 list, Hoskins comes in at no. 33.

It’s certainly understandable if other teams are asking about him. The 32-year-old first baseman is having a solid season and could bolster almost any lineup. His 12 homeruns rank sixth at the position. He has 40 RBIs in 249 at bats. He has a good eye, consistent pop, and he isn’t wallowing in the low .200s this season. In his second season back from a torn ACL, Hoskins is slashing a respectable .245/.339/.434.

His trade market appeal is also why the Brewers need him in their lineup. If the front office is getting calls, of course it makes sense to listen, but it’s a bit surprising – alarming? – for fans to see him named as a trade candidate.

But Milwaukee Brewers Should Buy at Deadline

If the Brewers do flip a first baseman, Jake Bauers, whose name has been circulating for a while now, seems the more likely choice. For some reason, he isn’t featured on the list.

Maybe Bauers’ market has cooled, but unless Milwaukee slips into the muck, trading Hoskins instead is not a move they should consider. Sure, the offense is humming now, but it’s not like the roster is crowded with big names or reliable track records. Being able to plug Hoskins into the middle of the order every day is a valuable comfort.

The way the Brewers are going, they should look to be buyers, not sellers, at the deadline. If they do both, outgoing players should be supplementary, marginal pieces, guys like Bauers or an excess starting pitcher. 7-3 in their last ten and 44-36 overall, Milwaukee occupies second place in the NL Central and owns the third wild card spot, ahead of St. Louis via tiebreaker. They are just two games behind the Mets for the top wild card, 2.5 behind the Cubs in the division, and in the thick of the playoff picture. Barring a meltdown, adding, not subtracting, should be the focus this July.