Philadelphia Phillies: Rhys Hoskins named NL Player of the Week

It may be lost in after the Philadelphia Phillies‘ 11-0 dismantling of the Washington Nationals, but there was more than one reason for Phillies fans to celebrate yesterday. After an incredible week that saw him hit four home runs and slash .421/.520/1.158, first baseman Rhys Hoskins has been named the NL Player of the Week.

Rhys Hoskins‘ four home runs were the most in all of Major League Baseball. He also led the league in average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and of course, on-base plus slugging (1.678). The Phillies’ first baseman also tied for the most extra-base hits in the league and ranked second in runs scored.

While Hoskins has been a bit uneven this year (as is often the case), he’s really begun to hit his stride for the Phillies. He’s been a top-end contributor over the past month-plus, and much of that could be attributed to the change made at manager.

Under Rob Thomson, Philadelphia Phillies’ first baseman Rhys Hoskins has taken his game to the next level, being named the NL Player of the Week.

Out of the 30 games that interim manager Rob Thomson has managed, Rhys Hoskins has started in 29 of them. In those 29 games, Hoskins has consistently hit out of the two-hole in every single game. And in those past 30 games under Thomson, Rhys Hoskins has hit nine home runs with 17 RBIs and 19 runs scored while slashing .306/.415/.648 in that span. It’s not just Thomson who deserves the credit, though, as Hoskins has been putting in the work and contributing both on and off the field.

Alongside Kyle Schwarber, Hoskins has led the Phillies since Bryce Harper went down with a fractured thumb on June 25th. In that time, the Phillies boast a record of 5-3, which may not sound impressive but considering the team lost a legitimate MVP candidate, it’s certainly better than expected. In fact, that record has actually elevated the Phillies into the third Wild Card spot, signaling that their playoff hopes are not yet dead.

With Bryce Harper likely out for at least another month to two months, the Phillies will need Hoskins to remain on top of his A-game if they’re going to have a chance at making the postseason.