{"id":114567,"date":"2026-02-22T20:01:51","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T01:01:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=114567"},"modified":"2026-02-23T18:41:52","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T23:41:52","slug":"rhys-hoskins-signs-with-cleveland-bargain-find-or-another-miss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/02\/22\/rhys-hoskins-signs-with-cleveland-bargain-find-or-another-miss\/","title":{"rendered":"Rhys Hoskins Signs with Cleveland: Bargain Find or Another Miss?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Cleveland Guardians signed free agent first baseman <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/h\/hoskirh01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rhys Hoskins<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to a minor league deal on Sunday. If he makes the Guardians major league roster, his base salary is reported to be $1.5 million. No doubt, this was the kind of low-risk bargain the Guardians were waiting for. According to reports, <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/h\/harpebr03.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bryce Harper<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> had been advocating for a Hoskins reunion in Philadelphia, but President Dave Dombrowski evidently had other ideas. Good thing if you\u2019re Cleveland.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Source: Once finalized, the Guardians\u2019 deal with Hoskins would be a minor-league contract that pays him a base salary of $1.5M should he make the major-league roster. <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/fhmqq9NZ6Q\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/fhmqq9NZ6Q<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ZackMeisel\/status\/2025599805914010071?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">February 22, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After missing all of 2023 with a torn ACL, Hoskins signed a two-year, $34 million deal with the Brewers. A midseason thumb injury limited him to just 90 games last season, but he still posted a 111 wRC+ and an elite 46% hard-hit rate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So the question is, why was there no major league deal for a player with Hoskins\u2019 resume? Maybe it was his average defense, recent injuries, or just a free agent market that\u2019s leery of aging hitters. But the answer could be as simple as this: opportunity. Of the teams still looking for a right-handed bat, Cleveland must have offered Hoskins the best shot at regular at-bats and another chance at October baseball.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Why the Guardians Now?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cleveland\u2019s lineup has been mostly left-handed and light-hitting for years. They\u2019ve tried to fix that with deals for players like <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/belljo02.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Josh Bell<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/z\/zuninmi01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mike Zunino<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and last year <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/santaca01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Carlos Santana<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but none really worked out. What they need is a right-handed bat who can hit lefties and maybe pop 25 home runs. Someone who can also provide some protection for <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/r\/ramirjo01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jose Ramirez<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the order. Hoskins could be just that guy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even though he turns 33 in March, he checks all the boxes. He\u2019s averaged 34 home runs per 162 games in his career. His career slash line against lefties is .243\/.382\/.501 with a 137 wRC+. That\u2019s a skillset Cleveland desperately needs if they want to compete in an improved AL Central.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Rhys Hoskins has clearly been a player in decline. The slug &amp; barrels are headed in the wrong direction. However, I\u2019m all for Cleveland adding a RHH w\/ a history of pop.<\/p>\n<p>At worst, he\u2019s a depth piece. At best, he spells Manzardo vs LHP. Manzardo batted just .186 vs LHPs in 2025. <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/4YqxNBMTks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/4YqxNBMTks<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/iYZ5AwWbk7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/iYZ5AwWbk7<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Tablesetters: A Baseball Podcast (@tablesetterspod) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/tablesetterspod\/status\/2025616909371109761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">February 22, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2><b>Where\u2019s the Fit?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is where things get interesting. The Guardians 1B\/DH mix is crowded, especially with <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/f\/fryda01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">David Fry<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> healthy, <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/k\/kayfucj01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CJ Kayfus<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> lurking, and <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/m\/manzaky01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kyle Manzardo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> penciled in at first base. Earlier this offseason, President Chris Antonetti said of Manzardo: \u201cHe\u2019ll be in the lineup regularly. It will either be at first base or DH, and the more he can play first base, the more options it gives us in how we build the team.\u201d But will Manzardo face every lefty now that Hoskins is here? His splits in 2025 were telling: a .245 batting average against righties, but just .186 against lefties.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.fangraphs.com\/roster-resource\/platoon-lineups\/guardians\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">FanGraphs<\/a>, a potential lineup versus lefties might look like this:<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_114578\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-114578\" style=\"width: 389px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-22-at-20.00.01-300x235.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"389\" height=\"305\" class=\" wp-image-114578\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-22-at-20.00.01-300x235.png 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-22-at-20.00.01-1024x801.png 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-22-at-20.00.01-768x601.png 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-22-at-20.00.01.png 1166w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 389px) 100vw, 389px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-114578\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Credit: FanGraphs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><b>What About Defense?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hoskins isn\u2019t here for his glove; it&#8217;s average to above-average at best. Last year, Manzardo had a -7 DRS (Defensive Runs Saved), near the bottom for regular first basemen. Hoskins scored a 2 DRS, so it appears he\u2019s got a clear edge with the glove. If Manzardo\u2019s defense doesn\u2019t improve, it could limit him to more of a DH role.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s some speculation that Hoskins might play left field since he started his career there, but that ship has likely sailed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What\u2019s Next?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spring Training will show us something of what Hoskins has left. He\u2019d really have to struggle not to get a shot out of camp with the Guardians. If he hits, he\u2019ll stick. And if he finds his groove, Cleveland might finally have found the right-handed pop they\u2019ve been looking for.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For now, give credit to the Guardians front office for landing a proven bat at a bargain price. Only time will tell if it\u2019s a match that actually works.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><em><strong>(Top Image Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Cleveland Guardians signed free agent first baseman Rhys Hoskins to a minor league deal on Sunday. If he makes the Guardians major league roster, his base salary is reported to be $1.5 million. No doubt, this was the kind of low-risk bargain the Guardians were waiting for. According to reports, Bryce Harper had been [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5782,"featured_media":114577,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9,2,1071],"tags":[5042,1654],"class_list":["post-114567","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guardians","category-featured","category-mlb","tag-cleveland-guardians","tag-rhys-hoskins"],"modified_by":"Matthew Nethercott, Site Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114567","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5782"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=114567"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114567\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":114612,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114567\/revisions\/114612"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/114577"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=114567"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=114567"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=114567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}