The Philadelphia Phillies have posted one of the strongest records in baseball since making a major organizational change earlier this season.
Philadelphia parted ways with longtime manager Rob Thomson and promoted bench coach — and New York Yankees legend — Don Mattingly to interim manager. The move appeared to immediately energize the clubhouse, as the Phillies rattled off six straight series wins right after the transition.
Even though the roster still features the same veteran core — including Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Zack Wheeler, and others — the franchise had already undergone significant changes before Mattingly took over. Thomson himself was once a midseason replacement after the team fired Joe Girardi, and the organization also made the difficult decision to move on from homegrown slugger Rhys Hoskins following a major knee injury ahead of the 2023 season.
Hoskins, a 2014 draft pick, spent six seasons as the Phillies’ primary first baseman. When he returned healthy in 2024, the club opted not to re-sign him. Instead, Harper transitioned to first base, and the team moved forward without Hoskins.
Now facing the Phillies again as a member of the Cleveland Guardians, Hoskins’ return stirred emotions for Harper, who admitted the decision still lingers with him.
“I think about Rhyser all the time,” Harper said. “He’s one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever played with. You feel bad in a way. You wonder if things might have been different if I hadn’t learned first base.”
Given Hoskins’ productive years in Philadelphia, fans have occasionally floated the idea of a reunion. Harper has even said he would be willing to move back to the outfield to accommodate the right addition. Still, he recently acknowledged that a reunion doesn’t realistically fit the current roster structure.
“You’d always love to have Rhys back,” Harper explained. “But with the DH spot, first base, and the outfield, it just doesn’t really make sense for us right now.”
While the Phillies could use another impactful right-handed bat as they chase a return to the World Series under Mattingly, Hoskins hasn’t been as productive at the plate this season. He is hitting just .185/.343/.361 for Cleveland.
So, despite Harper’s lingering regret over the team moving on from a longtime teammate, it appears unlikely he’ll be changing positions anytime soon to pave the way for a reunion.