Brewers could take novel approach this offseason if Rhys Hoskins doesn’t opt out

Even though we've only just found out which two teams will be playing in the 2024 World Series, we've already got our eyes set on the upcoming offseason. Followers of the Milwaukee Brewers don't have much of a choice, as their team has to sit on yet another early playoff exit.

The upcoming free agent class is going to be full of first baseman, with Pete Alonso topping the list and Christian Walker representing another star-caliber option. Teams that pursue but don't land Alonso will certainly pivot to Walker, but there's another option worth mentioning and that's Rhys Hoskins.

To be clear, Hoskins has an opt-out clause in his contract that he's almost guaranteed to bypass. He's going to stay on the Brewers with the expectation of suiting up for them next year as an overpaid and underperforming veteran. With so many teams in the hunt for power from the first base position, missing out on Alonso and/or Walker could lead them straight to the Brewers to engage in trade talks.

Trading Rhys Hoskins after opt-out decision could work for the Brewers

Hoskins, 31, appeared in 131 games for the Brewers this year after missing the entirety of last season with an injury. He hit 26 home runs and drove in 82 runs while scoring 59 of his own. He had some hot stretches and plenty of cold ones, all of which amounted to an OPS+ of just 98, which leaves him two percent below league-average.

Those numbers don't exactly scream "multi-year contract in free agency", and him and super-agent Scott Boras know that. So, he's going to pass on the opt-out and remain in Milwaukee. That certainly doesn't mean the Brewers need to hold onto him, though.

When he's at his best, Hoskins is a true 30-homer bat, but you'll just have to look past the strikeouts. There are so many teams that will be hungry for power this offseason, so it's not actually that crazy of a thought that the Brewers could get stuck with his $18 million salary next year only to unload it before the season even begins.

On paper, teams like the Diamondbacks, Mets, Tigers, Astros, Giants, Mariners, and Cardinals all instantly come to mind as ones with playoff aspirations and no every day option at first base. If the top of the free agent market doesn't help them out in their hunt for a new face there, Hoskins could fit the bill.

Since the Brewers usually operate in the lower half of the league's payroll leaderboards, shedding some salary from a player like Hoskins would give them a ton more flexibility to upgrade the roster elsewhere. This is a team without too many obvious roster holes heading into the offseason, but the impending departure of Willy Adames is one that's surely going to hit hard and may require some additional resources to solve especially with the Brewers' TV deal being less lucrative going forward.

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