Hoskins had an emotional return to Philly on Monday.
The Milwaukee Brewers took on the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night in what was Rhys Hoskins’ first return to Citizen’s Bank Park since leaving the team this offseason.
Philadelphia ace Zack Wheeler notched the win. The only run Wheeler gave up was a homer in the seventh by Hoskins, who spent the first seven years of his career with the Phillies. He was sidelined throughout his final season with the team last year while recovering from a knee injury.
Before the game, Hoskins stuck around on the field to sign autographs for the same fans that cheered him on when he was a member of the team:
Rhys Hoskins is still signing Phillies hats for his biggest fans. What a night with a great standing ovation
🎥 @MLB
pic.twitter.com/kIMdPsD7p3— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) June 4, 2024
Hoskins was a solid power hitter for the Phillies every season through 2022, when he hit 30 home runs and was an integral part of the team’s run to the World Series that year.
After missing last season with a torn ACL, Hoskins signed a wo-year, $34 million contract with the Brewers.
Hoskins had been sidelined since injuring his hamstring on May 13, but made his return to the Brewers lineup over the weekend. On the season, he is hitting .243 with a team-high 10 home runs and 28 RBIs.
Phillies’ Rob Thomson speak on Rhys Hoskins’ return
Phillies manager Rob Thomson spoke about Hoskins’ return to CBP before the game on Monday.
Said Thomson, per John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia, “I think he’s going to get a tremendous reception. Even though he said he’s going to get booed. He’s a member of this community. Everybody knows how important he is. When I came here in 2018, he was the first player I met. He’s just a great teammate. A great guy. He’s a competitor. I just can’t say enough good things about him.”
In his first spring training with his new team the Brewers earlier this year, Hoskins talked about leaving the Phillies.
“It’s a special place,” Rhys Hoskins said of the Phillies organization. “There were a lot of frustrating years in there, and now what you’re seeing is a lot of pent-up emotion from those fans cheering on their team. They’re pretty easy to root for with the type of players they have on their team. that’s why the city has rallied around them like they have. … I accomplished a lot of life things there, so it will be different when I go back, but it’s going to be great, too.”
The two teams are back in action on Tuesday night. Christopher Sanchez is scheduled to start for the Phillies against the Brewers’ Colin Rea.
