Phillies' Tommy Joseph aware of first base dilemma

With a few weeks remaining until Major League Baseball's July 31st trade deadline, the Phillies are facing an increased dilemma at first base. Joseph, on pace for 29 home runs and 82 RBI's in 2017, is mindful of the situation.

"That's something that I'm aware of," Joseph said. "He's a really good player and that's a decision that the front office and Pete will have to make. He's been playing well and I've been playing well."

Prior to Friday night's 4-3 loss to San Diego, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Phillies first baseman Tommy Joseph and Lehigh Valley prospect Rhys Hoskins "cannot coexist on the same team. There is no way they could."

Mackanin noted that Joseph is having a strong season for the Phillies, hitting .251 with 15 homers and 43 RBIs — including a double, solo home-run, and two walks in Friday's game.

But the 24 year-old Hoskins has dominated at every stop in the Phillies' system, especially in 2017 at Triple A. Entering Friday, Hoskins is batting .292 with 20 homers and 66 RBIs. Only teammate Dylan Cozens has more home runs, leading the International League with 21. During a full season at Double-A Reading last year, Hoskins slugged 38 homers en route to 116 RBIs.

If the Phillies decide to make Hoskins their first basemen for the remainder of 2017, they may explore the possibility of trading the 25-year old Joseph. If that came to fruition, the Phillies would have roughly three weeks to deal him.

"I guess if you want it to be distracting," Joseph said of trade rumors. "Once again I'm going to have the opportunity to play first base for the Phillies and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it. I'm going to go out there and do the best I can."

With the way Hoskins has dominated Triple A, Mackanin said "it wouldn't be fair to either guy" for Joseph and Hoskins, both righthanded, to split time at the Major League level. Joseph was a part of the Phillies' 2016 first base platoon with the lefthanded Ryan Howard.

"That's not anything that I can control," Joseph said. "I have the opportunity to play first base for the Phillies and I'm going to make the most out of that opportunity. This is a great team to be a part of, a great city to play for. I'm enjoying it every day, Rhys Hoskins is a great player. The decision is going to be up to them, not me."

Nonetheless, Joseph has been providing the Phillies offense with desperately-needed extra-base hits. 44 percent of Joseph's 81 hits have come in the extra-base variety — including his last four.

"I feel alright," Joseph said. "There's still some things that I'm working on. I've done a better job of putting the ball in the air, which obviously helps with the extra base hits. Just trying to keep everything as simple as I can."

EBailey@philly.com

@ByTeddyBailey