LOS ANGELES -- Phillies manager Gabe Kapler woke up Thursday morning to see a text message from Rhys Hoskins, who flew to Philadelphia on Wednesday to have his broken jaw examined.
Good news, Hoskins said, he does not need surgery.
"It looks like it's going to be more of a weeks thing than a months thing," Kapler said about Hoskins' recovery. "That's obviously really good news. I thought it was a moment to celebrate because we know we're going to have him back sooner. We know he's not going to have his mouth wired shut."
Hoskins broke his jaw Monday, when he fouled a pitch off his face in the ninth inning of a loss to the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Dodgers physicians cleared Hoskins to play Tuesday and he hit a pinch-hit double later that night. But a CT scan following Tuesday's victory revealed a fractured jaw. The Phillies officially placed him on the 10-day disabled list Thursday. They recalled outfielder Dylan Cozens to take his place on the roster.
"I forget the wording about the fracture, but it's stable," Kapler said. "That's why it didn't require surgery."
Hoskins is hitting .233 with six home runs, 28 RBIs and a .778 OPS in 216 plate appearances. He struggled for the past month, but he remains one of the Phillies' most important presences in the lineup and clubhouse.
"You could kind of feel him missing in the dugout yesterday," Kapler said. "It was kind of strange."
Kapler said Hoskins, 25, will rejoin the team Friday in San Francisco.
Kapler said the Phillies have discussed protective gear to keep Hoskins as safe as possible once he returns to the field. In the meantime, Odubel Herrera, Aaron Altherr and Nick Williams will see the majority of playing time in the outfield. Cozens (.765 OPS in 197 plate appearances at Triple-A) will be occasionally rotated into the lineup.