Phils tender contract to Hoskins, 5 other arb-eligibles

PHILADELPHIA -- Dave Dombrowski said the Phillies would offer Rhys Hoskins a contract before Friday’s 8 p.m. ET non-tender deadline.

They did, and it was a no-brainer.

But then so was every other Phillies player eligible for salary arbitration, including José Alvarado, Ranger Suárez, Seranthony Domínguez, Edmundo Sosa and Sam Coonrod.

Philadelphia agreed to a one-year, $775,000 deal with Coonrod for 2023, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported per a source. Coonrod, 30, was entering his first year of arbitration. The other five players were tendered a one-year contract before the deadline.

Hoskins will be the Phillies’ Opening Day first baseman, Suárez will be one of the team’s top starters, Domínguez and Alvarado will be two of the bullpen’s most important relievers -- with Coonrod possibly filling a bullpen role -- and Sosa will fill a valuable utility role that could expand, but only if the Phils fail to sign one of four talented free-agent shortstops.

Here is a look at the six Phillies who were tendered contracts on Friday:

Hoskins
He slashed .246/.332/.462 with 30 home runs, 79 RBIs, a .794 OPS and a 122 OPS+ in the regular season. Dombrowski talked Wednesday about Hoskins’ streakiness at the plate and struggles in the field, but when Hoskins is hot offensively, he can carry a team for weeks. For example, Hoskins batted .263 with six home runs, 12 RBIs, four walks, 13 strikeouts and a 1.070 OPS during a 10-game stretch in the postseason as the Phillies won their first NL championship since 2009. Conversely, he batted 1-for-31 with 11 strikeouts in the other seven games.

If Philadelphia signs Trea Turner, Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts or Dansby Swanson to play shortstop, any one of them could hit second for the Phillies in 2023. Hoskins, who hit second most of the season, could hit anywhere from fourth to sixth, a more traditional spot for the slugger.

Suárez
He went 10-7 with a 3.65 ERA in 29 regular-season starts, and 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA and one save in five postseason appearances (three starts). Suárez might be one of the most underrated starters in the National League.

Alvarado
He had a 7.62 ERA in his first 17 appearances before the Phillies optioned him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley in May. He returned in June, and he became one of the best relievers in the Major Leagues. In his final 42 regular-season appearances, he posted a 1.66 ERA, struck out 64 and walked 14 in 38 innings. Batters whiffed at his cutter 55.7 percent of the time, the ninth-highest whiff rate of any pitch by any reliever in the Majors (minimum 50 swings).

Domínguez
He was having one of the best seasons of any reliever in Phillies history when a right triceps injury cost him almost a month late in the season. He struggled upon his return, then found his groove again in the postseason. Domínguez went 6-5 with a 3.00 ERA and nine saves in 54 regular-season appearances, striking out 61 and walking 22 in 51 innings. He posted a 1.69 ERA in nine postseason appearances, striking out 18 and walking one in 10 2/3 innings.

Coonrod
He missed most of the season because of an injured right shoulder, then posted a 7.82 ERA in 12 appearances. Coonrod is a hard thrower, and velocity is highly valued in today’s game. The Phillies believe the further removed Coonrod is from his injury, the better he will be. If he is healthy and he is throwing strikes, he could be a middle-inning reliever or more in 2023.

Sosa
The Phillies acquired Sosa from the Cardinals just before the Aug. 2 Trade Deadline for left-hander JoJo Romero. They love his glove and they think there is more in the tank offensively. Dombrowski said Sosa could be the team’s everyday shortstop next season, but that will only happen if Philadelphia doesn't sign Turner, Correa, Bogaerts or Swanson.