Darick Hall hopes to ‘move the needle forward’ as the Phillies’ primary first baseman

CLEARWATER, Fla. — At about 1 p.m. on Friday, Darick Hall saw Rhys Hoskins standing by his locker in the Phillies clubhouse. It was the first time he had seen him since Thursday, when the veteran first baseman tore the ACL in his left knee while trying to field a ground ball.

A lot had changed over those 24 hours. Shortly after the injury, the Phillies announced that Hoskins would undergo surgery and miss the rest of the season. On Friday morning, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski announced that Hall, a 27-year-old power-hitting first baseman, would replace him.

It was a tough situation to process. Hall had quietly grinded through the minor leagues for six seasons, waiting for his opportunity to arrive. It was finally here, but it came at the expense of his friend and mentor.

He walked over and gave his teammate a hug.

“Rhys, I’m so sorry,” he said. “This is really rough.”

Hoskins wouldn’t accept the apology.

“Actually, I’m happy for you,” he said.

Hall was moved by his teammate’s response, but he wasn’t surprised. This is who Hoskins has always been. When Hall was in minor-league spring training, he used to watch Hoskins take batting practice. He saw a player who was patient and made good decisions. So, he started to ask him questions about his approach, and Hoskins always made time to answer.

Hall was selected in the 14th round of the 2016 draft. He was not a top prospect or a well-known name, but Hoskins made a point of learning it. Years later, when Hall made his big league debut in June 2022, he walked into the Phillies’ clubhouse and found his locker next to his friend’s.

Hall, called up in the wake of Bryce Harper’s broken thumb to replace him as the designated hitter, took advantage of it. He’d ask Hoskins about the game, about the clubhouse, about how to be a big leaguer. And, as always, Hoskins would give him a thoughtful answer.

“It was simple, but him taking the time to help meant everything to me,” Hall said.

» READ MORE: Rhys Hoskins tore his ACL. Here’s what to know about the Phillies first baseman’s injury.

Hall credits Hoskins with shaping who is he is as a player today, which made Thursday all the more painful. He wasn’t at BayCare Ballpark at the time of the injury; he was at a local hospital with his wife, Ashley, who was in surgery. While he was sitting in the post-op room, he saw the clips of Hoskins circulating on Twitter.

He couldn’t believe what he was watching. He tried to view the clips in slow-motion, to see how Hoskins had hurt himself, but it didn’t provide any clarity. It was a freak, noncontact injury. There was no sense to be made of it.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Hall said. “As an athlete, we look to compete at a high level. We put all of this prep into our bodies and time in the weight room, and when you get out there and something like that happens, it just breaks your heart, because you know all of the work he’s put in. It’s really sad.”

When Hall received the news that he’d be getting the majority of playing time at first base this season, it felt bittersweet. But he is viewing it as an opportunity to step up for his team. And he believes that Hoskins is viewing it the same way.

“He basically gave me his blessing to go do it,” Hall said. “And that is the ultimate sign of respect. As a player, his heart is in it. He knows we need people to step up.

“We play similar positions, and he’s not able to do that anymore [this year]. So it’s my opportunity to move the needle forward for the team. It’s not personal. I’m going to move the needle as much as I can. I’m not going to try to replace Rhys. I’m going to be Darick Hall. I feel ready. I feel like I’m the best I’ve ever been. Unfortunately, injuries do happen. But if I have the opportunity to help the team, that’s our goal.”

» READ MORE: The five most indispensable Phillies: Losing Rhys Hoskins is bad. Losing these players would be worse.