Marcus Hayes: Rhys Hoskins' knee injury means Nick Castellanos needs to start earning that $100 million contract
Published in Baseball
CLEARWATER, Fla. — This would be a good time for Nick Castellanos to start earning that $100 million.
Rhys Hoskins ripped a two-out RBI single past the third baseman and drove in Kyle Schwarber with the first run against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday. It was one more glorious moment in a spectacular spring for a player in a contract year, on the cusp of cashing in on his prodigious talents.
Five pitches later, Castellanos struck out, feebly and unremarkably.
Six pitches after that Austin Williams topped a groundball at Hoskins. He retreated behind the grass next to first base, and inexplicably, collapsed, holding his left knee. He remained on the ground for at least 5 minutes before a cart removed him from the field.
RBI. Whiff. Collapse.
A future in jeopardy.
A spotlight shifted.
It was a jarring turn of events.
Just like that, Hoskins, the Phillies’ most dangerous right-handed hitter of the past few seasons, joined Bryce Harper, the most dangerous lefty, on the sidelines. Harper had offseason elbow surgery.
Just like that, a white-hot spotlight shifted to Castellanos.
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