The Milwaukee Brewers reportedly hope to have veteran first baseman Rhys Hoskins back from a sprained left thumb in the second half of August. However, by the time he returns, it could be too late. Andrew Vaughn may have already hijacked his spot in the lineup by then at this rate, which the team seems at peace with.
Milwaukee acquired Vaughn from the Chicago White Sox roughly a month ago, giving up right-hander Aaron Civale and cash considerations. Hoskins' placement on the 10-day injured list paved the way for him to play, and he's capitalized on the opportunity. The Brewers' new addition made an immediate impact upon getting promoted to the Majors, single-handedly outscoring the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-game sweep.
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Andrew Vaughn's strong start with Brewers puts Rhys Hoskins on notice
Vaughn had quite the showing in Milwaukee's emphatic home-series victory over the Dodgers, including a pivotal game-tying pinch-hit single in the finale. He crushed a three-run home run in his first at-bat with the Brewers. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft has provided timely and much-needed offensive production.
A PINCH-HIT, GAME-TYING KNOCK FOR ANDREW VAUGHN pic.twitter.com/xtb9GrIALB
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 9, 2025
Dominating the Dodgers to help Milwaukee stay within striking distance of the first-placeChicago Cubs in the National League Central is undeniably a strong first impression. Of course, a lot can change between now and when Hoskins will be available. Nonetheless, the early results of replacing him with Vaughn may make the choice easy for Brewers manager Pat Murphy.
Perhaps a change of scenery was all Vaughn needed, and Milwaukee's giving him a fresh lease on life, albeit possibly at Hoskins' expense. After all, the 27-year-old was a highly touted prospect not too long ago. Moreover, the White Sox have been a black hole for baseball in recent years, so it's hard to blame him for failing to reach his potential with them.
Hoskins has an $18 million mutual option for 2026 with a $4 million buyout. Jim Bowden of The Athletic ($) has recently noted that his contractual status could prompt the Brewers to trade him, regardless of whether they're contending. These clauses are very rarely exercised, so pivoting to Vaughn makes sense if the slugger isn't part of Milwaukee's future.