Market Data 
The Milwaukee Brewers will be without one of their best hitters for at least the next two weeks after veteran slugger Rhys Hoskins was placed on the injured list Tuesday with a strained right hamstring.
Hoskins got hurt Monday night trying to go for second on a second-inning base hit. He was replaced by a pinch-runner and left the game then underwent an MRI examination Tuesday morning that confirmed the injury.
“I felt a little grab in the hamstring and I’ve learned over the years not to push soft tissue stuff like that,” Hoskins said Monday night
Hoskins missed all of last season, his last with Philadelphia Philles, after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during spring training.
Big Signing, Big Production
Despite sitting out all of 2023, the Brewers signed Hoskins, 31, to a two-year, $34 million contract in January in the hopes he could bolster an offense that ranked second-to-last among NL teams in slugging (.385) and OPS (.704) while finishing 12th with 165 home runs.
Through his first 38 games, Hoskins lived up to his reputation as a power-hitting force in the heart of the lineup by slugging .474 with nine homers, 27 RBIs and a .794 OPS. He’d been especially hot over the last week, going 6-for-19 with three homers, nine RBIs and a 1.199 OPS over his last six games including a dramatic three-run homer in the eighth inning Friday night that rallied the Brewers to a 5-3 victory over the Cardinals.
“That’s a big blow,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “We lose one of our leaders.”
Bauers, Sanchez Provide Depth
While Milwaukee recalled Owen Miller from Triple-A Nashville to fill Hoskins’ spot on the active roster, the team has two other viable options to fill its vacancy at first base in Jake Bauers and Gary Sánchez.
Like Hoskins, Bauers has been one of the Brewers’ hottest hitters of late. Coming into Tuesday night’s game, he was batting .361 (13-for-36) with three homers and 13 RBIs over his last 13 games and belted his first career grand slam one night earlier.
“I think Bauers will play more,” Murphy said ahead of Tuesday’s game. “He’ll probably move to (fifth in the batting order) more times than not, at least against a right-hander.”
Sánchez, meanwhile, was signed to a one-year, $7 million deal at the start of Spring Training both as a backup behind catcher William Contreras as well an additional offensive boost. Contreras, though, has started 35 of Milwaukee’s 42 games behind the plate so Sánchez’s playing time has been limited. He’s seen action in just 26 games with 18 starts, 13 of them coming as the designated hitter.
Sánchez has made seven career appearances at first place including four this season with one start while Miller made 22 starts at first a year ago and two more this season.
Injuries Galore
Hoskins becomes the 12th Brewers player to land on the injured list this season.
In all, Milwaukee has used 38 players through its first 42 games including 22 different pitchers.
This story will be updated.
