This Brewers veteran can’t be happy with his current role in the organization

The Milwaukee Brewers are sprinting toward October with momentum, depth, and a well-timed offensive surge. But as the wins pile up and unexpected players produce, one question is quietly simmering beneath the surface: What happened to Rhys Hoskins? Just a month before he’s set to hit free agency, the 32-year-old slugger, once viewed as a key middle-of-the-order presence, has seen his role reduced to that of a high-paid afterthought. Through no real fault of his own, Hoskins now finds himself as the club’s third-string first baseman, watching from Triple-A while others run with the opportunity his injury created.

Hoskins’ season took a sharp turn on July 5, when a Grade 2 left thumb sprain sidelined him for what was expected to be around six weeks. The Brewers placed him on the IL two days later, initiating what seemed like a standard rehab timeline. But the roster didn’t wait around.

Rhys Hoskins has become the Brewers’ forgotten man at the worst possible time

About a month before Hoskins’ injury, Milwaukee traded for Andrew Vaughn, acquiring the former White Sox first baseman in a deal that sent pitcher Aaron Civale (who had requested a trade) and cash the other way. It was a move designed to reinforce the infield, but it turned into a complete positional heist.

Since putting on a Brewers uniform, Vaughn has raked, slashing .308/.371/.505 with 9 home runs and 41 RBIs across his first 50 games. He didn’t just fill in for Hoskins. He took the job and ran with it.

And the hits didn’t stop there.

Jake Bauers, initially pegged as an occasional first base fill-in and outfield depth, has also complicated matters. The left-handed slugger has found a groove over the past few weeks, slashing .389/.450/.611 in his last seven games with a home run and six RBI. For a team chasing playoff seeding and trying to keep its offense humming, Bauers has become too productive to ignore.

So where does that leave Hoskins?

Before the injury, Hoskins was doing exactly what the Brewers brought him in to do: provide steady veteran pop. He was slashing .242/.340/.428 with 12 home runs and 42 RBI, not elite numbers, but more than serviceable for a lineup that had struggled early in the season to find consistency.

But since starting a rehab assignment for his thumb injury, Hoskins hasn’t reclaimed his place. Instead, he’s been stuck in an extended stint with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, where he’s slashing .275/.371/.471 over 14 games. The numbers suggest he’s healthy. The team’s actions suggest he’s blocked.

And for a player in his final year of a $34 million deal, that’s a brutal combination.

The truth? Hoskins didn’t lose his job by playing poorly. He lost it because others got hot while he was unavailable. And now, Milwaukee is thriving. Manager Pat Murphy has acknowledged the awkward situation, recently saying the team “needs more time” to figure out how to integrate Hoskins back into the active roster.

But with the postseason approaching and the Brewers trying to keep the clubhouse chemistry intact, Hoskins is effectively a high-priced insurance policy.

Still, he may find a path back into relevance. His track record in October, especially his memorable 2022 postseason run with the Phillies (where he hit 6 home runs in 17 games), is something Milwaukee’s front office can’t ignore when constructing a playoff roster. He’s battle-tested, playoff-proven, and healthy.

In many ways, Rhys Hoskins is a victim of circumstance. His injury opened a door, but the players who walked through it haven’t given the Brewers any reason to look back. And in baseball, as cruel as it may be, availability and momentum often outweigh loyalty and salary.

Hoskins will almost certainly still get a shot to contribute in the postseason. But even if his role is limited, this current stretch, languishing in Triple-A while healthy, could weigh heavily on how teams value him this winter.