Cubs assumptions got them in trouble during Rhys Hoskins negotiation

The Chicago Cubs were in on former Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins seemingly all offseason, until he signed with the rival Milwaukee Brewers. Losing Hoskins to another suitor would have been fine. Losing a power-hitting first baseman who could very well turn out to be this season's Bellinger-like comeback story to an NL Central foe is a problem.

Chicago made up for their blunder a few days ahead of time, trading for Los Angeles Dodgers infield prospect Michael Busch. Busch is a former top-100 prospect who was blocked on the Dodgers infield. In Chicago, he'll get plenty of playing time. Per The Athletic's Sahadev Sharma, here is why the Cubs dropped their interest in Hoskins:

"The Cubs’ interest was more about getting value on a one-year deal similar to what they had with Cody Bellinger last season. The Cubs want to get Busch playing time at first and Hoskins likely wasn’t interested in being the DH. If they moved the youngster to that spot, suddenly there’s a hurdle to getting Christopher Morel consistent at-bats."

Did the Cubs make a mistake passing on Rhys Hoskins?

While Hoskins is primarily a first baseman, and a decent one at that, who's to say he wouldn't have been interested in playing DH? This is a player who is coming off a near season-ending injury in 2023. While Hoskins tried to come back for the postseason, he wasn't the same player and could have put his long-term health at risk. Playing designated hitter for a large portion of the season on a prove-it deal sounds like a decent idea, all things considered.

Busch is a fine player, and if this leads to Chicago finally re-signing Bellinger and perhaps another big bat, then the Cubs have nothing to worry about. However, if they fail to make the necessary moves and Hoskins performs well in Milwaukee, missing out on him turns into a major problem.