Rhys Hoskins enjoyed a brief renaissance earlier this season, but the veteran first baseman has fallen into one of the more troubling stretches of his Cleveland tenure. After hitting well enough in May to force his way into a clearer role at first base, Hoskins has seen his production collapse almost entirely over the past month. The timing could hardly be worse for a Guardians lineup that has leaned on him for everyday at-bats since injuries swept through the roster in mid June.
Terry Pluto revealed just how steep the decline has become.
“Rhys Hoskins is hitting .146 with two homers in June. For the season, it’s .175 with a .663 OPS and seven homers. His swing looks slow. At the age of 33, it’s fair to wonder how long they plan to give him at bats. He’s a right handed hitter who is supposed to help vs lefty pitching. Well, he’s batting .125 vs lefties this season,” Pluto wrote.
Hoskins was brought in on a minor league deal specifically to handle left-handed pitching in a platoon with Kyle Manzardo, a matchup that has historically favored him throughout his career. Seeing him struggle so badly in exactly the role he was signed for raises real questions about whether age and a slowing bat speed are catching up to him at 33 years old. Hoskins had flashed signs of his old form as recently as May, but that version of him has been almost entirely absent since June began.
The larger concern is what this means for a Cleveland offense already missing Jose Ramirez, Angel Martinez and Chase DeLauter. With those regulars sidelined, Hoskins has received an expanded role almost by necessity, and his inability to capitalize has only compounded the lineup’s broader struggles. If his swing does not show signs of life soon, the Guardians may be forced to consider redistributing at bats elsewhere, even with internal options remaining limited while the roster waits for its injured players to return.
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