ARLINGTON, Texas -- First baseman Rhys Hoskins was reinstated by the Milwaukee Brewers before Tuesday night's 5-4 loss to Texas after missing 57 games with a sprained left thumb.
"Ready to join these guys, try to help finish this thing strong," said Hoskins, who was not in the starting lineup as Andrew Vaughn started at first base in the loss. Hoskins later appeared as a pinch hitter and fouled out in the sixth inning.
The Brewers entered the game with the major leagues' best record at 89-56, close to clinching a postseason berth, but lost for the second time in as many nights to a Rangers club making a late push for a playoff spot of their own in the American League.
Hoskins, 32, was hitting .242 with 12 home runs and 42 RBIs when he was hurt on July 5. But Vaughn picked up the slack. Entering Tuesday's game, he was hitting .308 with nine homers and 41 RBIs in the 51 games since being acquired from the Chicago White Sox on June 13.
"How he'll get in there and how he'll get his at-bats remains to be seen," manager Pat Murphy said of Hoskins.
"My role will be a little bit more limited at least for what I'm accustomed to," Hoskins said. "I think I've been around enough, professional enough, I'll be ready when my number's called. I'm prepared to help the team win every day. I told Murph, those guys: 'I'm ready for whatever you have for me.'"
"He's the right guy, so he understands winning environments and understands we can't always get what we want," Murphy said. "In Rhys' case, I really want his presence and his leadership. The fact that Vaughn has come on and done so well in these 50 games -- but what a nice thing to have, the experience, the possibilities of Rhys."
Hoskins signed with the Brewers as a free agent in January 2024 after spending seven years with the Philadelphia Phillies. He missed the entire 2023 season with the Phillies after tearing an ACL in spring training. He's scheduled to be a free agent again after this season.
The Brewers optioned infielder-catcher Anthony Seigler to Triple-A Nashville.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.