Hoskins, Realmuto open to extensions in Philly

April 12th, 2019

MIAMI -- It seems like everybody is reaching extensions with their star players, which makes one wonder if the Phillies will lock up or anytime soon.

After all, in the past couple months plenty of teams have signed their superstars -- and potential superstars in the making -- to multiyear contract extensions. It's a list that includes , , , , , , , , , , , , and .

Hoskins and Realmuto could fall into that group at some point, but the Phillies have time to make those decisions. Realmuto, 28, is not eligible to become a free agent until after the 2020 season. Hoskins, 26, won't hit free agency until after the '23 season. Both players said before Friday night’s series opener against the Marlins that they have not been approached by the Phillies about an extension.

“If we’re going to have the team that we have right now, I want to be here as long as we can,” Hoskins said. “I think we’ve got a pretty good chance to win a lot. That’s what it’s all about.”

“For me right now," Realmuto said, "I’m focused on the season and that’s pretty much where my focus is right now."

But Realmuto said he has enjoyed his time with the Phillies, acknowledging the differences between the fan bases in Miami and Philadelphia.

“Definitely something I could see in the future,” Realmuto said about a potential extension with Philadelphia.

Hoskins is the Phillies’ union representative, so he is well versed on the happenings in free agency, and how teams are shying away from signing players in their 30s to long-term deals. Hoskins will be entering his age-31 season when he's eligible for free agency.

“If it starts with a three, it seems to be the magic number, right?” Hoskins said. “I think all of us players have noticed that. Obviously, I think we hope that stuff like that flips by the time that we get there. Maybe it swings or trends back toward where it was. I don’t know if it will ever get back to where it was, but hopefully it starts trending in the opposite direction of where it is right now. I think a lot of those questions are going to be answered after ’21 [when the current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires].”

But if the Phillies called?

“Yeah, of course I’d be open to it,” Hoskins said. “I think I’ve said in the past that I’d love to be here as long as they’ll have me. Whatever that looks like is what it looks like. I pay somebody to do that. I don’t do that. That’s why I have somebody.”

Hoskins’ agent is Scott Boras, who historically has taken his players to free agency.

“Scott told me from the get-go -- and he’s probably told all of his players this -- if there’s a deal that makes really a lot of sense for who you are as a player, who you are as a person and your family … if something makes sense, then we’re going to do it,” Hoskins said. “He’s not going to advise me against it just for the sake of advising me against it.”

Arano is back

The Phillies recalled right-hander from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Friday to take the roster spot of fellow righty , who had been optioned on Thursday. Arano had a disappointing spring, posting a 45.00 ERA in seven appearances. He allowed 17 hits and 20 runs in just four innings.

But Arano pitched four scoreless innings in Triple-A, striking out seven and walking one.

“His slider is really coming around,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said. “We felt like we had to get him here to face this level of competition. And I saw him as he went out for his run, got a chance to interact with him a little bit, [he] seems a much more confident version than [when he] left Clearwater.”