Cubs Rumors: Phillies FA Rhys Hoskins Viewed by CHC as 'Good Fit' for Roster

The Chicago Cubs see Philadelphia Phillies free agent Rhys Hoskins as a "good fit for their roster," according to The Athletic's Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma.

Hoskins, who did not play in 2023 after tearing his ACL during spring training, is looking for a bounce-back season.

That could make him the perfect match for the Cubs, who are looking to "add an impact player with postseason experience without having to go long on a contract," per Mooney and Sharma.

Hoskins helped the Phillies reach the World Series in 2022 with six home runs and 12 RBI in 17 postseason games. He could help fill in at Chicago's first base if Cody Bellinger leaves in free agency.

Hoskins' agent Scott Boras said earlier this week he saw "potential for a pillow contract" for his client.

A "pillow contract," a term coined by Boras himself, means a "comfortable" one-year deal, according to the agent.

That's what Boras said Hoskins earned when he worked out with the Phillies organization in Clearwater, Florida during the 2023 postseason in the hope of returning to bat against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS.

Hoskins did not end up returning, and the Phillies lost in seven games to the D-backs, but Boras said the experience left Hoskins "way ahead" in his ACL recovery.

"Basically, Rhys got a chance to really get ramped up almost to be World Series ready in Clearwater because the Phillies wanted to add him to their World Series roster," Boras told reporters earlier this week. "So he is way ahead in his conditioning and really very much back to full speed."

That might not be enough to earn Hoskins a bid from the Phillies, who announced earlier this week that Bryce Harper would be taking over full-time at first base, per The Athletic's Brendan Kuty.

It could, however, be enough to attract the Cubs, whose gamble on another player in need of a bounce-back campaign paid off in 2023.

Chicago's one-year bet on Cody Bellinger, who was non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers after a series of injuries and inconsistent performances, paid off as Bellinger recorded a Silver Slugger-caliber campaign in 2023. The club could hope for a similar result if Hoskins is playing for his next contract on a one-year deal.

Hoskins was projected to need a recovery time of seven to nine months, so is scheduled on the outside to be ready to go by January.