Subscribe
Follow Us
The Milwaukee Brewers have recalled former No. 3 overall pick Andrew Vaughn from Triple-A Nashville as first baseman Rhys Hoskins heads to the injured list with a Grade 2 thumb sprain, per Robert Murray of FanSided. The move comes just ahead of Milwaukee’s Monday series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Hoskins sustained the injury during a tag play at first base in Saturday’s 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins. After lunging to tag Miami’s Eric Wagaman on a wide throw, Hoskins showed immediate discomfort but finished the inning before being replaced by Jake Bauers. Though initial X-rays were negative, an MRI later revealed a more severe Grade 2 sprain. As a result, Hoskins is being placed on the 10-day IL, and the severity of the sprain likely means he could miss a month or more of action.
In 2025, Hoskins has posted a .242/.340/.428 slash line with 12 home runs and a 115 wRC+ across 318 plate appearances. However, his production has fluctuated. After opening the season with a .892 OPS over his first 187 plate appearances, he slumped to a .436 OPS over his next 83. Recently, Hoskins had shown signs of recovery at the plate, adding to the sting of his untimely injury.
To fill the gap, the Brewers are turning to Vaughn, whom they acquired from the Chicago White Sox on June 13 in a deal that sent right-hander Aaron Civale and cash to Chicago. Vaughn, 27, was the third overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft but has underwhelmed in the majors. Across four seasons with the White Sox, Vaughn hit .253/.310/.415 over 562 games. His 2025 performance, however, saw a significant dip, slashing just .189/.218/.314 in 48 games prior to the trade.
Following the move to Milwaukee, Vaughn was assigned to Triple-A Nashville, where he has shown signs of offensive rebound. Over 16 games, he batted .259 with three home runs, 16 RBI, and eight runs scored. His promotion to the big league roster now positions him to split first base duties with left-handed hitter Jake Bauers, forming a likely platoon while Hoskins recovers.
The Vaughn-Civale trade was viewed as a low-risk gamble by the Brewers. Civale, who had recently requested a trade, posted a 4.29 ERA in four starts for the White Sox. For the Brewers, the move provided a potential upside bat in Vaughn while moving a disgruntled pitcher.
Hoskins’ injury could also affect Milwaukee’s plans ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. With Hoskins' $18 million salary for 2025 and a $4 million buyout for 2026, speculation had existed that Milwaukee might explore moving him to clear payroll. However, this injury all but removes that possibility.
