Top Landing Spots for Rhys Hoskins

Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox make a lot of sense for Rhys Hoskins.

For starters, his profile perfectly caters to Fenway Park. One thing that has remained consistent with Hoskins throughout his career is his ability to elevate the baseball. He’s posted an average launch angle of 18 degrees or higher in each of his eight seasons.

In 2024, Hoskins had an average launch angle of 20.8 degrees with a pull air rate of 31.4% — that was the fourth-highest mark in MLB. In 2025, he upped his average launch angle to 22.1 degrees and his pull air rate to 34.5%, which was the third-highest mark in baseball.

That type of batted-ball profile bodes well for Fenway, and although he doesn’t have the speed to turn singles into doubles, he could have a career resurgence peppering fly balls off of the Green Monster.

Moreover, Triston Casas will return to first base in 2026 after rupturing his left patellar tendon back in May. Casas, a left-handed hitter, will likely need some days off as he works back from his major knee injury, and Hoskins can help spell some reps at first base without compromising the team’s ability to compete next season.

This is a fit that makes a lot of sense in more ways than one.

San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres have made the postseason in back-to-back years and three times in the last four seasons. They’re expected to remain in playoff contention once again in 2026, but they have a hole at first base that they need to address in the coming months.

In 2025, Luis Arráez started 112 games at first base for the Padres, and Ryan O’Hearn started 25 games. Arráez’s time is seemingly over in San Diego as he hits the open market, and the Padres traded O’Hearn at the trade deadline this past season.

Gavin Sheets, who started 11 games at first in 2025, is slotted to be the starting first baseman next season. Sheets had a career year in 2025, posting a 111 wRC+ and a career-high 1.3 fWAR, but he’s also a player who sported a .227/.291/.368 slash line, .659 OPS, 85 wRC+, and -2.1 fWAR in his three seasons with the White Sox from 2022 to 2024.

Sheets earned a starting spot with his production in 2025, but the Padres must be prepared with a contingency plan should he regress back to his career norm. Hoskins would be the perfect candidate for that role.

Seeing that Sheets is a left-handed batter, Hoskins would compliment him well at first base. He could also get some reps at DH when needed, as Tirso Ornelas is currently slotted into that role per RosterResource.

Hoskins should be in the Padres’ price range, there is a current need at first base, and he would compliment their current starting first baseman well. The Padres check a lot of boxes as a top landing spot for Hoskins.

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks traded away first baseman Josh Naylor at the deadline last year, and they replaced him with the headliner in their return for Eugenio Suárez, Tyler Locklear.

Locklear, 24, is the Diamondbacks’ primary option at first base moving forward, however he underwent elbow and shoulder surgeries in October that will likely force him to miss the beginning of the 2026 season.

Pavin Smith, who has been terrific across his last two seasons with Arizona, will head into the year as the starting first baseman. However, Smith only played 87 games in 2025 and has only played over 90 games in a season once in his career (145, 2021). Considering he also tends to split time at DH, it’s yet to be seen if he can handle an everyday workload at first base.

Hoskins would compliment Smith’s lefty bat well. What’s more, he could come in and mentor Locklear, who is still getting his feet underneath him at the big-league level. The Diamondbacks likely won’t need to commit a multi-year deal to Hoskins, so he would be a great stopgap at the position for 2026 until Locklear is ready to fully take over.

It’s yet to be seen how much the Diamondbacks are willing to spend in free agency, but Hoskins should be in their price range. It would be a very savvy addition by Arizona.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Adding a veteran like Hoskins feels right up the Pittsburgh Pirates’ alley.

The Pirates acquired Spencer Horwitz last offseason and he appears to be their starting first baseman moving forward. Horwitz started 93 games at first base last season and put together an overall solid year for Pittsburgh, slashing .272/.353/.434 for a .787 OPS, 119 wRC+, and 1.7 fWAR in 411 plate appearances.

The future is bright for Horwitz, but the lefty has greatly struggled against southpaws throughout his young career.

In 2025, Horwitz hit just .186 with a .593 OPS against left-handed pitching. In his young MLB career, he is hitting just .192 with a 61 wRC+ and .548 OPS against southpaws. Hoskins would give manager Don Kelly a right-handed option if he wants to shield Horwitz from lefties.

Plus, the Pirates always like to bring in veterans on short-term deals with the potential of flipping them at the trade deadline. If Hoskins performs well, the Pirates could cash in and trade him mid-season, especially considering his AAV should be in Pittsburgh’s price range.

The Pirates can’t continue to waste the extremely talented rotation that they have built. Moves need to be made this offseason to prevent another dreadful offensive performance in 2026, and Hoskins could be an important piece in helping this offense take a step forward.

Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals need some help on offense if they wish to emerge from this rebuild, and first base will be a major priority for them this offseason.

At first base in 2025, Nathaniel Lowe started 113 games and Josh bell started 32 games for the Nationals. Lowe was released from the organization back in August, and Bell is re-entering free agency this winter.

RosterResource currently has Luis García Jr. slotted in at first base for 2026. García has played just two games at first base in his MLB career (both came in 2025), and he’s coming off a year in which he had an OPS just north of .700 with a 91 wRC+. The Nats would be better off keeping García at second base, where he has spent the majority of his career, and bringing in a true first baseman.

Hoskins would be the perfect answer for them if they are not big-fish hunting for free agents this offseason. The Nationals could still get García, a lefty bat, reps at first base with Hoskins working as his platoon partner. Moreover, as was the case with the Pirates, Hoskins has flip potential should he perform well and the Nationals aren’t in contention at the trade deadline.

The Nationals had the second-youngest lineup in MLB in 2025, and their offensive core is made up of James Wood, CJ Abrams, Dylan Crews, and Daylen Lile — Abrams is the oldest of that group at 25 years old, every other hitter mention is still just 23 years old.

This is a lineup that could really use a veteran presence, like what Lowe and Bell were brought in for last season. He would be a solid fallback option for Washington if they were to miss out on the Pete Alonso sweepstakes.