Rhys Hoskins arrived in Cleveland on a minor league contract and is now producing like the right-handed bat the Guardians were looking for. After Wednesday’s three-hit night, he entered Friday with a.259/.394/.444 slash line, two RBI and a team-high five doubles.
That is a sharp rebound from the start of April, when Hoskins went hitless through the first four games he played in. On Wednesday, he went 3-for-4 with three doubles, a walk and an RBI in Cleveland’s blowout win over the Royals, a performance that fit the role the Guardians envisioned when they turned the minor league deal into a one-year, $1.5 million MLB contract.
The numbers matter because Cleveland did not remake its lineup after finishing the 2025 season with a.226 batting average, the worst mark for a postseason team in a 162-game season. The Guardians spent most of the offseason largely untouched, and Hoskins and Stuart Fairchild were their only offensive additions. Hoskins was brought in to supply right-handed power, and so far he has done more than provide depth.
There is still a small wrinkle in how Cleveland is using him. All but one of Hoskins’ nine appearances have come at first base alongside Kyle Manzardo, which means the Guardians are still sorting out how best to fit their new hitter into the lineup. For now, though, the early returns are easy to see, and they are arriving at the same time as Chase DeLauter’s four home runs in his first three games and a strong start from the pitching staff, giving the Guardians reason to believe their quiet winter was not a mistake.
