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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