The Brewers weren't lying when they described this veteran's late-season role

Back in July, the Milwaukee Brewers losing Rhys Hoskins for multiple months due to a thumb injury and then Jake Bauers to a shoulder issue shortly afterwards, felt like a crushing blow, especially for a team that had finally started to find its groove, but was still trailing the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central standings.

Then Andrew Vaughn happened.

Vaughn, who was in the Brewers' minor league ranks at the time of Hoskins’ injury, was called up, belted a home run during his first at-bat, collected at least one RBI in each of his first five games with the team, and drove in 21 runs through his first 16 games. While he's cooled off a little bit, as expected, Vaughn is still slashing .315/.376/.505 with 43 RBI over 57 games with Milwaukee.

Then a Jake Bauers' resurgence happened.

Since being reinstated on August 22, Bauers initially had a quiet start at the plate, but things quickly turned around during the Brewers’ road trip to Pittsburgh and Texas in early September. He recorded hits in five of six games on that trip while driving in seven runs. That hot streak persists, as Bauers has now tallied hits in nine of his last 11 games, including three hits in last night's loss to St. Louis.

Just as Bauers was heating up at the plate, Hoskins was nearing activation from the injured list. The Brewers opted to extend his rehab assignment, with speculation swirling around what his role would be upon returning. Once he was officially activated, the team sent a clear message: they were sticking with the players who helped drive them to the best record in baseball.

Rhys Hoskins has only been used as a pinch hitter since returning to the Milwaukee Brewers

Hoskins was activated on September 9. Since then, he has only appeared in four games, coming off the bench as a pinch hitter in each of them. He's collected just one hit, an RBI single against the Texas Rangers back on September 10, in four at-bats since coming off the IL.

While Hoskins has publicly embraced his new role, it can’t be easy for him, especially given the strong season he was having at the plate before his injury. With free agency potentially looming this winter, as Milwaukee will likely decline their side of an $18 million mutual option for 2026, the situation carries added weight for the veteran slugger whose 2025 resume may not earn him a large contract.

Despite all this, given Hoskins' proven postseason pedigree of clutch performances with the Phillies, it’s hard to imagine the Brewers not finding a spot for him on the playoff roster, even if that means carrying three first basemen on a 26-man roster. His experience and ability to deliver in high-pressure moments could be a valuable asset come October.