Red Sox Could Land Brewers $34 Slugger In Midseason Trade, Per Insider

So... has there been any talk about the first-base job for the Boston Red Sox lately?

Ever since Triston Casas went down for the season with a torn patellar tendon, the Red Sox have been thrust into chaos. The injury occurred on May 2; last Thursday, Rafael Devers took the team and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow to task for asking him to consider playing first base himself.

Unfortunately, the Red Sox don't have much in the way of backup plans on the roster. Abraham Toro and Nick Sogard appear to be splitting time at first for now, with Romy González now on the injured list with a quad contusion.

In desperation, the Red Sox could look to the trade market to grab a more viable first baseman if Devers truly is unwilling to do the job himself. And one Boston insider has a somewhat surprising suggestion for who they could acquire.

On Monday, Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe named Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins as a trade target for Boston, sometime between now and the Jul. 31 Major League Baseball trade deadline.

"The Sox could use a right-handed-hitting first baseman with power to balance their lineup," Abraham wrote. "Maybe the Brewers would part with Rhys Hoskins, who will be a free agent after the season."

Hoskins, 32, had a down year in 2024 after returning from a torn ACL and signing a two-year, $34 million deal with the Brewers as a result of his long-time team, the Philadelphia Phillies, moving Bryce Harper to first base. But a year removed from all that change, he's settling in and producing.

In 39 games, Hoskins is the only qualified Brewers hitter with an OPS above .800, slashing .276/.384/.423. He'd be a solid addition to any lineup, but it's only of consequence to the Red Sox if the Brewers are open to becoming sellers despite their near-.500 record.