Next up on the Phillies’ arbitration list is none other than Rhys Hoskins. If you’ve been following The Liberty Line and my coverage of the Phillies, you absolutely know the answer to this one already.

• Seranthony Dominguez – $900K
• Zach Eflin –$3.7MM
• Rhys Hoskins – $3.4MM
• Andrew Knapp – $1.0MM
• Hector Neris – $5.3MM
• Vince Velasquez – $4.0MM

Rhys Hoskins is obviously the biggest no-brainer on the list. Over his last 22-games before his injury in 2020, Hoskins was hitting .275 with nine homers, 19 RBIs and a .979 OPS. Hoskins underwent Tommy John Surgery in early October and is expected to miss 4-6 months.

Although he is streaky at times, when Rhys Hoskins is hot, he’s one of the best offensive first basemen in Major League Baseball.

The Phillies definitely missed him during the final month of the season. Hoskins is a cornerstone to the Phillies foundation. At 27 years old, he’s entering his baseball prime and his success is crucial for a Phillies team trying to make the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade.

Hoskins burst onto the MLB scene in 2017. He’s been up-and-down throughout the last 3-4 years but there’s certainly more good than bad with his performance during his time in Philadelphia.

Tommy John surgery is no joke. For a pitcher, the average recovery time can take 12 to 14 months minimum to heal. Fortunately for position players the average recovery time tends to be half as long as pitchers. Good news for Hoskins, the injury to his elbow is on his non-throwing hand, so recovery time could even be quicker than that.

Tender or Non-Tender? The answer is simple: Tender.

Mandatory Credit: USA Today