It’s probably time for the Phillies to let Rhys Hoskins go

In the wake of their horrid series against the Chicago Cubs out of the All-Star break, the Philadelphia Phillies face some pressing questions that have to be answered quickly. One of them is: Who thinks it’s time for Rhys Hoskins to don another uniform?

This is a decidedly unpleasant question since Rhys Hoskins is, after Bryce Harper, as popular a player as the Philadelphia Phillies put on the field regularly.

The slugger is also, at least, a quiet leader in the Phillies clubhouse by many accounts.

However, this was the question recently raised by Inquirer.com writer David Murphy, then sort of sidestepped by the same writer. The thrust of Murphy’s article on the Phils at the trade deadline ended with a mandate for the club: They have to figure out which pieces they want to keep in order to make the playoffs this year and win a World Series within three years.

The World Series title is paramount, of course, but Phillies fans are frustrated by the playoff drought, and thus this 67-game run for this season’s finish line is not to be ignored. Or at least that’s what Murphy seems to say.

The writer doesn’t quite want to say Hoskins should go, pointing out that it depends “on the market” and evaluating “the rest of their options.” He mentions one, platooning rookie Darick Hall and Alec Bohm at first, and does some righty-lefty, retrospective, match-up magic suggesting such a platoon might be a .300 hitter in the aggregate.

The only other option here (with Hoskins gone, but not for another first baseman in return), really, is moving Bohm to first but, like Hoskins, Bohm is not a great first baseman. Neither is he a great third baseman, but he may be improving there.

So, what should happen? It says here, if at all possible, swap out the big first baseman, who becomes arbitration eligible for 2023, and actually stick with the platoon suggested by Murphy. This is surely a problematic suggestion because many MLB decisions to platoon fall apart, seemingly, through centrifugal force. Something always happens.

But it’s not an impossible matter for the rest of this season, at least, if another starting pitcher can be had for Hoskins before the August 2 MLB trade deadline. There are options at third, with Jean Segura returning and Bryson Stott and Johan Camargo on the roster. Perhaps a third baseman from elsewhere could become part of the deal.

The Phillies need another starting pitcher, as well as a high caliber center fielder, and a fielder at one of the two infield corners who is an above average defender. The first and third or second and third of these three items might well be achieved by letting Hoskins go.