Phillies: 2018 or bust for third baseman Maikel Franco
2017 was supposed to be the year the Phillies figured out what they had in Maikel Franco. Now it’s really time to find out what Franco is worth.
Hopes were high on Maikel Franco when he reached the majors in 2015. He was the Phillies’ second-best prospect when he was called up. In 80 games, he hit 14 home runs with a .280/.343/.497 line.
Since then, Franco’s numbers have dropped. In 2016, Franco’s OSP fell from .840 to .733. Things got even worse in 2017, when he hit .230 with a .690 OPS. His -0.5 fWAR was the worst among all qualified third baseman.
Despite Franco’s struggles, he stayed in the lineup pretty much all year. It was only when J.P. Crawford made his major-league debut in September when Franco wound up on the bench. The team showed faith in him, hoping that he could turn things around and fulfill his offensive potential.
General manager Matt Klentak told Matt Breen of Philly.com that he still believes in Franco’s potential as a player:
More from Phillies News
- Pirates’ bizarre Vince Velasquez hype video will make Phillies fans laugh
- Acquiring Brandon Marsh gave the Phillies flexibility
- Former Phillies starter Zach Eflin shares heartwarming goodbye message
- Is Rhys Hoskins the future at first base for the Phillies beyond 2023?
- Exclusive Phillies Offer: Bet $5, Win $150 if the Eagles Beat the Giants This Week
“I’ve been the high guy on Franco for the last two years. Even in the times where he’s struggled, I’ve been pretty bullish on his future. That’s because I believe in him,” Klentak said. “He has the work ethic. He has fun when he’s playing. His teammates like him. He has power. He controls the strike zone very well for a power hitter. He has good hands. He has a rocket for a right arm. To me, there’s no reason that that package of tools should not lead to him being a well above average player.“And it’s our job as an organization to help him in any way that we possibly can to achieve his potential. That’s going to be a huge priority for us this year.”
Manager Gabe Kapler said one of the things Franco needs to do is hit the ball in the air more, and that is quite true. Franco hits ground balls slightly more than the league average player, but he does not nearly have enough speed to run out any. There are many occasions where Franco makes poor contact on a ball he tries to rip out of the park and instead hits a weak ground ball for an easy out. Reducing the number of these ground balls should be imperative for Franco.
More from That Balls Outta Here
- Phillies rumors: Club targets Seth Lugo for possible bullpen role
- Pirates’ bizarre Vince Velasquez hype video will make Phillies fans laugh
- Acquiring Brandon Marsh gave the Phillies flexibility
- Former Phillies starter Zach Eflin shares heartwarming goodbye message
- Is Rhys Hoskins the future at first base for the Phillies beyond 2023?
2018 is the year Franco has to make this adjustment; he doesn’t have any more time to try and figure things out. After the year ends, Manny Machado hits free agency. He has been linked to Philadelphia for the last two years. They were at the center of the Machado trade rumors at the winter meetings, but things never panned out. It’s essentially a given that they will take a hard run at him in free agency.
The only thing that might keep the team from heavily pursuing Machado is a strong improvement from Franco in 2018. It would take quite a resurgence considering how poorly Franco produced the last two seasons.
Meanwhile, Machado is among one of the top all-around third baseman in the game. Even if Franco brings his numbers back up towards where they were in 2015, it might not be enough.
Next: Phillies retiring Roy Halladay's No. 34 for 2018
2018 will be the year Franco has to prove that he can be a starting major-league third baseman. Otherwise, he could be out of a job once free agency rolls around.