Dartmouth graduate Kyle Hendricks is known as one of the smartest pitchers in baseball, mixing pitches and using precision location to overcome a lack of velocity. It helped him to an NL-best 2.13 ERA a year ago and the nickname “The Professor.”
So when the Chicago Cubs right-hander threw a changeup to Phillies rookie Rhys Hoskins in his first at-bat Saturday night and the rookie pulled it foul with such force and distance that the crowd gasped, the question was what would Hendricks do next.
He decided to go again with the changeup, only to throw it low and out of the strike zone. On this night, The Professor was outdueled by The Phenom.
It seems nobody can stop Hoskins these days, not even an Ivy Leaguer.
Hoskins sent the 79 mph, 1-2 pitch soaring into the seats in left-center and put his name in the record books, becoming the fastest player to reach 10 home runs in major league history. It put the Citizens Bank Park crowd into a frenzy and was the lone bright spot in the last-place Phillies’ 17-2 loss (see Instant Replay).
“It’s kind of just poor bliss, especially when you’re running (the bases),” Hoskins said. “You don’t really hear anything and you can’t really see anything except the ground in front of you and the bases. It’s something I’ve never felt.”
MLB
And something baseball has never seen in the modern era. The 10th homer came in his 17th game and just his 57th at-bat. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he bested the New York Yankees’ Shane Spencer, who hit his 10th homer in his 67th at-bat in 1998.
“We’re going to start getting mad at him if he doesn’t hit a home run every game he plays,” manager Pete Mackanin said.
Right now, he is. The 24-year-old left fielder has homered in four straight games, the first Phillies rookie to ever do that and only the 22nd Phillies player. Hoskins has homered in seven of eight games, hitting .400 (12 for 30) with one double, 18 RBIs and a 1.619 OPS during an eight-game hitting streak.
“To be mentioned in the sentence that has the words ‘first ever in MLB history’ is pretty special,” said Hoskins, who added a single and finished 2 for 4. “It’s definitely an honor and I’m just glad I was able to do it in a Phillies uniform.”
His teammates reacted with bug eyes, open mouths, smiles and plenty of high-fives as Hoskins entered the dugout following the 417-foot shot. Hoskins tied Ryan Howard’s rookie franchise record of 10 homers in a month set in Sept. 2005. He’s five away from the team record.
And don’t forget Hoskins started 0 for 12 after being called up, so he’s hit 10 homers in 13 games.
“They’re pretty funny, to be honest,” Hoskins said of his teammates’ reaction. “I don’t really think anyone can really explain it, so it’s kind of a lot of wide eyes, I guess. It keeps us light in the dugout.”
Hoskins’ 23 RBIs are the most by a Phillies rookie in August.
Trouble was, the Cubs put on a home run derby of their own by going deep six times, including four off right-hander Ben Lively (1-5). Anthony Rizzo hit a three-run homer in the third and added a solo shot in the fifth a batter after Kris Bryant went deep. Tommy La Stella also homered twice and Ben Zobrist went deep.
Hoskins’ record run is making the 47-81 Phillies watchable, however. When he steps to the plate, the crowd buzzes.
“I try not to pay attention to that stuff, especially when I step in the box. It’s all me vs. the pitcher,” Hoskins said. “If you guys can feel it there must be something going on, which is great. That’s the kind of fans we have, so I can’t say I’m surprised.”