Just slightly more than a week after the Milwaukee Brewers secured the services of free-agent power hitter Rhys Hoskins with a lucrative two-year, $34 million deal, the 2023 NL Central champions executed an unexpected move by trading away their star starting pitcher, Corbin Burnes, in a lopsided deal with the Baltimore Orioles.
Upon learning of this development on Thursday evening, Philadelphia Phillies enthusiasts might have been perplexed as to why their team’s management hadn’t engaged in a trade for one of the premier pitchers in MLB, especially given the seemingly reasonable return. Some may have even humorously suggested checking on the well-being of the Phillies’ president of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski.
Once the initial shock subsided on Friday morning and emotions returned to normal, attention in Phillies’ circles shifted to their recently acquired slugger, Rhys Hoskins. Many wondered how he was handling the situation after committing to a team only to see one of the league’s top pitchers depart.
It’s safe to assume his feelings aren’t positive.
During a media conference after his signing, Hoskins expressed eagerness to get back on the field and compete after missing a full season.
“I’ll be thrilled to get on the field,” said Hoskins. “I’m quite bored as a competitor, and I haven’t played in so long.”
Discussing his decision to join Milwaukee, Hoskins emphasized the excellent fit on paper and praised the team’s culture, citing conversations with current and former players.
As excited as he was about the upcoming season, it’s unlikely that Hoskins anticipated having to face it without the presence of Corbin Burnes.
In a recent interview on MLB Tonight, Hoskins, just days before the trade, spoke about his anticipation of learning from his new teammates in Milwaukee, specifically mentioning Burnes.
“[I’m looking forward to] learning from the guys in Milwaukee,” said Hoskins. “You know, there’s a former Cy Young [Burnes], a former MVP [Christian Yelich], all the talent in the world coming up from the minor leagues … so really just eager to sit down and talk the game with those guys and learn as much as I can.”
Now, the prospect of sitting down with Burnes will have to wait until the Orioles visit town.
Brewers GM says he wants to win this season. Does anyone buy that?
In a recent interview with Bally Sports Wisconsin, Brewers general manager Matt Arnold discussed the team’s ambition to win in both the immediate and long-term future, just two days before trading their staff ace to the AL East.
“Look, we’re trying to win as many games as we can here this year, and in the long run,” stated Arnold, likely offering a similar sentiment to Rhys Hoskins.
Arnold emphasized the need to stay flexible during the offseason, stating, “There are a lot of different paths that the offseason can take, we have to stay nimble. I mean, I think that’s something that’s important. When there are opportunities, we want to try to strike, and adding veteran players here that help us this year, extending somebody like Jackson Chourio, that shows that we’re committed to winning here long term.”
However, what Arnold might not have disclosed to his newly acquired first baseman is that one of these “different paths” involved trading away Corbin Burnes. Despite bringing in a veteran like Hoskins, the Brewers relinquished a Cy Young-winning pitcher for what seems like minimal returns. This move raises questions about the team’s genuine commitment to winning in the current season, especially when dealing their top pitcher right after acquiring a key player.
While Hoskins finds himself in a favorable position to showcase his skills and improve his value for future contracts, it’s reasonable to assume that his eagerness to join the Brewers might have been tempered had he known about the impending trade of their star pitcher just two weeks before the start of spring training.
