Beloved Phillies Slugger Homers in first-ever trade with Brewers

Rhys Hoskins has been with the Milwaukee Brewers since signing with them earlier this offseason. He played more than two months of regular season games.

In many ways, his return to Citizens Bank Park against his former team, the Philadelphia Phillies, was like he never left.

When Hoskins stepped to the plate for the first time in Monday’s opener, he was greeted with a warm ovation from the crown. But, the Phillies also played his old song, Calvin Harris’ “Slide.”

Before the game, he said he didn’t really know what to expect.

“I don’t know if I’m expecting anything, other than it being loud,” Hoskins said. “I’ve been to this place many, many times before when guys who played here and got great receptions back. So, you know, I hope that’s in the books.”

Conformable The Athletic, it was only the second time Philadelphia has done this for a former player when he returned with another team. The other was Chase Utley, who used “Kashmir” as a song.

He admitted there will be a lot of excitement surrounding his return.

“I’m a crier,” Hoskins said. “I’m probably going to cry at some point tonight.”

There were no tears later in the game when Hoskins hit a home run, something quite familiar to Phillies fans. Some cheered, others booed.

Hoskins greeted the fans.

Entering the game, Hoskins was slashing .239/.339/.465/.804 with nine home runs and 27 RBIs for the Brewers as the 29-year-old right-handed hitter mostly serves as their designated hitter.

Hoskins was unable to play last year after tearing his ACL during spring practice. While rehabilitating his injury, the Phillies moved Bryce Harper from the outfield to first base as a strategy to get the former MVP — who was still recovering from Tommy John surgery — on the field.

Harper took over that position, and Philadelphia informed Hoskins that he would not be first baseman if he stayed.

Hoskins was highly regarded by Phillies fans for his bat and work in the outfield.

He and his wife, Jayme, raised more than $1 million for the Muscular Dystrophy Association while connecting with Philadelphia-area children suffering from the disease.

Supporting MDA has been a long-term proposition for the pair. Hoskins worked at an MDA camp as a teenager, and it was also there that he met Jayme.

The Phillies selected the former slugger in the fifth round of the 2014 MLB Draft out of Sacramento State and he made his MLB debut in 2017.

Hoskins hit 148 runs and drove in 405 runs in six seasons with the team.