The Chicago Cubs Pursue a 30YO Slugger Looking for Redemption. Will This Deal Work Out Perfectly Like Cody Bellinger’s?

The Chicago Cubs just parted with star outfielder Cody Bellinger this 2023 offseason. Bellinger turned down their club option following the end of his year-long contract with the team. Even though it was a brief appearance, it was noteworthy. In addition to catapulting the slugger to a Comeback Player of the Year Award fame, it highlighted Chicago as well.

Bellinger was just coming off an injurious season on the LA Dodgers team. After being non-tendered by them for the same reason, he was looking forward to a chance to prove that he was not done yet. The Cubs gave him that chance and now they may plan to do the same with the former 30-year-old Phillies baseman, Rhys Hoskins.

The Chicago Cubs and their fated Bellinger-Hoskins connection

When Rhys Hoskins signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies at the beginning of 2023 to avoid salary arbitration, he probably didn’t imagine how the year would go. Two months into signing the $12 million deal, he became a victim of a no-contact ACL tear injury after backtracking a short-hop ball in a spring training game with the Detroit Tigers. Added to a sixty-day injury record, Bryce Harper later filled in for him. Now Hoskins is a free agent.

The Cubs have reportedly been interested in going after the slugger ever since his free agency regime came into effect. They are in need of both a first baseman and hitting power in their starting lineup. Given the fact that Hoskins has not seen a fall in form as much as Bellinger did the previous season, he will be an invaluable addition to the team’s lacking offensive lineup.

Fully recovered from the injury, according to a Cubbies Crib report, could Hoskins’ future form on the team look similar to Bellinger’s?

Rhys Hoskins: The Chicago Cubs’ prospective 1B?

According to the New York Post, Hoskins is set to earn a good $20 million a year for the upcoming season. That fits perfectly with the Cubs’ capacity, as the deal is similar to what they paid for Bellinger. Whether Hoskins chooses a one-year option remains to be seen.

In his last active year on the diamond, Hoskins bagged 30 homers and 79 RBIs with a .794 OPS across 156 games. That falls similarly in comparison to Bellinger’s Cubs record of 26 homers and 97 RBIs with a .829 OPS across 144 games.

Read More: Rhys Hoskins’ Wife Tops Game 3 Gesture With an Even Bigger Beer Order For Philadelphia to Enjoy in Game 4 of the 2022 World Series

Needless to say, if the Cubs stick with their Hoskins persuasion, they will have a shining lineup waiting for their 2024 future.

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