Q&A: Hoskins on Crew's energy, persevering through injury, more

Before Opening Day this past Friday, the last regular-season game Rhys Hoskins played was Oct. 5, 2022 against the Astros, a team he would play against in the World Series a month later.

Last year, Hoskins, 31, missed the entire season because of a torn right ACL suffered during Spring Training. He became a free agent after the season and signed a two-year, $34 million contract with the Brewers, and he already made his presence felt during Opening Weekend.

On Friday, Hoskins slid hard into second base and nearly spiked Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil in the eighth inning of the opener on Friday. McNeil was furious, yelling at him as the benches cleared. The umpires ruled Hoskins made a clean slide to the base.

The next day, during the top of the seventh inning -- with Hoskins already having a great day at the plate with three hits, including his first home run of the season -- Mets right-hander Yohan Ramírez whizzed a 94 mph fastball behind Hoskins' back. The benches did not empty, but Ramírez was ejected.

Before and after the opener, MLB.com caught up with Hoskins, who answered a wide range of topics from how his late mother’s wisdom made him patient throughout the 2023 season to his excitement about being a member of the Brewers.

MLB.com: How did it feel to play in your first regular-season game since 2022?

Hoskins: It’s just great to be back out there. Just being able to compete, whether it’s against the guys out there or with the guys in the dugout trying to figure out how to win a game, it’s kind of what I miss the most. Obviously, we had some high-intensity plays [on Friday] that kind of remind you why you play [this game].

MLB.com: Even though you went hitless on Friday, you played hard and played great defense. Do you think you sent a message to the younger players on the Brewers?

Hoskins: I hope so. I know what I’m here to do. I know what I’ve done in the big leagues and what I’m asked to do within the lineup, but hitting is hard. I learned that pretty quickly. There are so many other ways to impact a game. You have to figure out how to do that daily.

MLB.com: The one thing you showed is that the fire is still in your belly.

Hoskins: I like to win more than anything. If guys are going to stand up to me, I’m going to stand up to them. Again, trying to figure out how to win a game.

MLB.com: What was it about the game of baseball that you missed the most in 2023?

Hoskins: People talk about a grind. It’s just the day-to-day conversation that you are having with your teammates. It’s game planning against pitchers. “How are we going to beat this team? Who are we going to attack?” I was involved with a lot of those conversations with the Phils, even though I was hurt. But it means a little bit more when you are in it everyday with your teammates. … So just getting in the trenches with your teammates is what I missed the most.

MLB.com: How much did your faith help you get over the inactivity last year?

Hoskins: I’m not a super big man of faith. Instead of looking above or looking to the outside, I just looked to my teammates around me. I was lucky to have an awesome support system at home with my wife. I spent most of my time at the stadium with the physical therapy team. I had a really good support system I could lean on.

MLB.com: Name the people on the Phillies you could lean on?

Hoskins: The medical staff and the physical therapist -- first and foremost. … Really, my biggest sounding board was Kyle Schwarber just because he had a similar injury to mine and was able to make it back and join the Cubs in the World Series [in 2016]. That was immediately at the forefront in my mind of what my goal was going to be. What a great sounding board to have with somebody that did it.

MLB.com: Members of the media thought you would be back for the postseason like Schwarber. Tell me what you were going through.

Hoskins: We were hoping. That was the goal all along. I put myself in a good position throughout the summer to at least have that conversation when October came around. It came down to not having enough reps and [the Phillies] not being able to advance to the World Series. I was anxious about it for sure. I spent many nights wondering, “What is the right decision?” To me, it just came down to having the chance to play on the biggest stage. That opportunity doesn’t come around very often. … I wasn’t put in a position to make a decision, but I was happy that I gave myself an opportunity to at least have that conversation.

MLB.com: My mother passed away in 2001. Whenever I’m down, I often think about her and the wisdom she brought to my attention. I’m wondering when you were down last year, did you think about your mother, Cathy?

Hoskins: Yeah, I did. I think the biggest thing I learned from her was the value of perseverance. She was a fighter more than anything, had a beautiful heart, but a fighter when it came down to it. Throughout her battle with breast cancer -- basically throughout my entire childhood -- there was never a complaint. It was never about her. It was always about us and what she could do to get to the next day. She extended her life many, many years beyond what doctors gave her. I think that’s just a testament to her perseverance.

MLB.com: What is the biggest advice she gave you that you followed throughout 2023?

Hoskins: Patience. I can hear her say it now: “Patience is a virtue.” I’ve been through a couple of rehabs, but none as drawn out as what an ACL requires. There is a point right about October where you start to feel pretty normal. It’s still just those little things you are working on. When you are starting to feel more normal, when you see what’s going on on the field, you kind of want to speed things up. Throughout the whole process, everybody said, “This is something you can’t rush. Assuming you want to have a long career, this year is over.” Patience is probably the biggest thing.

MLB.com: You are healthy now. What advice do you take from your mother this season?

Hoskins: Perseverance. I’m learning what that’s about and keep in mind that good things come to those who wait. If you are waiting for that moment, you will be ready for it.

A mother’s love is irreplaceable. It’s hard to put into words. I think she shaped me into who I am as a man today. Just because I’m through the year of rehab doesn’t mean those things are not equally as important for this year. I’m sure there will be situations that will come up where patience is key and I’m going to have to fight like heck to get to the next day. Those types of things I will remember because of her.

MLB.com: Tell me what it’s like to be a member of the Brewers.

Hoskins: It’s been awesome so far. The staff is unbelievable. The clubhouse is young, energetic and youthful. We had a little youth in Philly, but it’s cool to see the young corps here that came up together. They really enjoy being around each other. You walk in a new clubhouse and guys are jabbing at each other, laughing at each other. That’s pretty easy to be a part of. I’m excited to get into the trenches as we go through the season with these guys and see what they are all about as competitors.

MLB.com: Despite losing some players, I still say the Brewers will be competitive this season.

Hoskins: I’m right there with you. Consistency is the word that stands out the most in Milwaukee. As long as I have been in the league, there have been few National League teams that have more wins than the Brewers. They know what they are doing in terms of development. They know what they are doing in terms of teaching guys how to win and play the game the right way. I think that’s why this franchise continues to surprise people in the win column because they just go about their business the right way.

MLB.com: What are your goals? Tell me what you are thinking?

Hoskins: My biggest goal is to play 155 games every year. … It’s something I’m looking forward to proving to myself again. I would like to strike out less than I did the year before. Control the strike zone a little bit better than I did before. Home runs, doubles, RBIs and all that -- I think a lot of that comes from good swing decisions.

MLB.com: What are you going to miss the most about Philly?

Hoskins: I think my teammates. You sweat with them, bleed with them, cry with them. You also experience the highest of highs with those guys. Relationships that I’ve made in the last five, six, seven years there in Philly are probably what I will miss the most.

MLB.com: What do you want the people in Milwaukee to know about you?

Hoskins: I love winning. I’m a competitive guy. I’m going to give you what I got every single night. But at the end of the day, what I care about the most is being the last team on the field.

MLB.com: How far can the Brewers go?

Hoskins: We are going to rely on these young guys a lot. With youth comes the unknown. Like I said, we get to see what each guy does and the progress that they are making daily. So I think we are going to go as far as these young guys are going to take us. … The division title has become the norm here. I don’t really see why that should stop this year.