"Free-agent 1B Rhys Hoskins and the #Nationals are closing in on a one-year deal, per source.Deal should be finalized and announced Mon/Tue. @TalkNats @DistrictOnDeck- DC Source (@DSource202) January 18, 2026"
"It's worth taking with a grain of salt; this is an account without a proven track record (its only posts were in February of 2025 regarding the one-year Kyle Finnegan deal), but it's an intriguing thought, and isn't the worst fit in the world. The Nationals have a plethora of first base options already, but none of them stand out as frontrunners for the Opening Day lineup. Adding a proven 1B/DH type into the mix narrows down the options while giving the Nationals, who have been upfront about not expecting to compete for a playoff spot in 2026, a ritual piece to move at the trade deadline if he performs."
"The righty-hitting Hoskins, 33 this season, spent the first seven years of his big league career with the Phillies. He joined the team's lineup full-time shortly after the 2017 trade deadline, and raked as the team climbed from NL East afterthought to World Series powerhouse, hitting 30 home runs in both 2018 and 2022. After tearing his ACL in 2023 Spring Training which cost him his entire age-30 season, Hoskins jumped to the Brewers on a two-year deal where his production slid. The walk rates were still solid and the strikeout numbers didn't get markedly worse, but much of his power had been sapped; after an early July ligament sprain in his left thumb that cost him two months, the Brewers opted to play Andrew Vaughn over him down the stretch. Rhys' final homer of the year came less than halfway into the season"
DC Source reported the Nationals are finalizing a one-year deal with free-agent first baseman Rhys Hoskins for the 2026 season, with an announcement expected Monday or Tuesday. The reporting account has a limited track record, so the report should be treated cautiously. The Nationals already possess multiple first-base options but lack a clear Opening Day frontrunner; adding Hoskins would narrow choices and create a tradable veteran 1B/DH if the team chooses to move pieces at the trade deadline. Hoskins is a right-handed hitter, 33, with seven seasons in Philadelphia, 30-homer years in 2018 and 2022, an ACL tear in 2023, and reduced power with the Brewers amid injuries.
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