Philadelphia Phillies: Possible Maikel Franco Trade Destinations
After another down year, Maikel Franco is on the winter trade block. If the Philadelphia Phillies trade Franco, where could he end up?
Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco has not followed up on his impressive half-season in 2015. In the two years since Franco has declined to the point where the Phillies could trade him this offseason. At only 25-years-old, plenty of teams should have interest in the young, power-hitting third baseman.
During the lean years in Philadelphia, Franco mashed at the minor league level. The performance put him on the radar as a potential core member of the next generation of Phillies players. When he received regular playing time in 2014, Franco showed a ton of potential.
Franco’s rookie year spanned 335 plate appearances over 80 games. He slashed .280/.343/.497 while mashing 14 home runs. He was a lighter version of Rhys Hoskins and someone Phillies fans were excited to see more from.
In 2016, the sophomore slump kicked in. His first full season ended with a less impressive .255/.306/.427 slash line and 25 home runs in 630 trips to the plate. The attention put on Franco in 2015 shifted to first baseman Tommy Joseph. Of course, Joseph also experienced his own fall from grace in 2017 with Hoskins taking over those accolades.
The 2017 season has been even worse for Franco. Barring a miracle, he won’t hit .250 and his OBP will finish below .300. Franco has also grounded into 21 double plays this season resulting in far more killed rallies than he did last year when he was doubled up 13 times.
With J.P. Crawford, Scott Kingery, and others knocking on the big league door ready to usurp any positions they can, time is limited for Franco. A change of scenery might be the only thing to save his career. This begins with a trade to any of these destinations.
Kansas City Royals
As each day passes, it looks less likely that the Kansas City Royals will re-sign Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, and the man Franco could replace, third baseman Mike Moustakas. All three deserve lots of money and that’s just not something the Royals can afford to give each of them.
If Moustakas walks, Franco is a cheaper option the Royals can try to build with. He’ll certainly give them power and can also fill in at first base when needed.
The Royals already have big dollars committed to Alex Gordon and Ian Kennedy. It’s important they find bargains wherever they can. A cast-off like Franco who still has a lot of potential might be the perfect fit for a franchise that still has a chance to compete.
No one should expect the Royals to make any move for a top-level third baseman other than Moustakas. Since he is probably the best one available, I expect someone else will pay him far more. Players like Franco with the arbitration years just beginning are better candidates.
The idea of Franco playing in the American League is also good when considering his defense. Although he’s not a complete disaster in the field, he’s more of a part-time DH than he is an everyday position player.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates got by in 2017 with David Freese as their primary third baseman. Although he hit very well, next year is already his age 35 season. The Pirates have to think about their future and that could involve Franco at the hot corner.
The Pirates do have a few options for the position. Josh Harrison can play just about anywhere, but right now he’s their second baseman. Adam Frazier is also a utility man the Pirates may consider. However, Frazier is probably best suited moving around the field as needed.
Franco is not the ideal fit for Pittsburgh considering they do have other choices at third base. First baseman Josh Bell also won’t go anywhere although we could see him receive regular action in the corner outfield depending on how the 2018 roster shapes up.
A lot will depend on other moves the Pirates make this offseason. Will they trade Andrew McCutchen before his final contract season begins or wait until the trade deadline? Whichever they do, it’s important for this small-market squad to build some more depth.
After some very good seasons, the Pirates are back to battling for a .500 record. Franco won’t get them there, but he does give them another choice. Considering several of their highly-touted prospects have hit walls on their big league progress, it would benefit the Pirates to add someone they at least know can play at the MLB level even if below average. If the Phillies sell low, Franco could move across Pennsylvania.
San Francisco Giants
A major storyline this offseason for the San Francisco Giants should include their search for a third baseman. Could Franco be the cheaper alternative to any of the big free agents?
The Giants may actually finish this season with a worse record than the Phillies. Unlike Philadelphia, they are in a much better position to turn things around in 2018. Madison Bumgarner will remain in San Francisco and it’s quite possible Johnny Cueto stays and rebounds.
The San Francisco offense is also pretty good when clicking. Unfortunately, many of them struggled this year. It’s possible the Giants finish the 2017 season with only three position players with an OPS+ above 100. This is just terrible for a team that competed so often over the last eight seasons.
Franco fits with the GIants because he can give them something they don’t have much of: power. Brandon Belt leads the team with 18 dingers and he has played in only 104 games this season. Home runs don’t necessarily win championships, but a more balanced team could certainly help.
Next: What are the Giants doing?
Rather than spend big on a third baseman, the Giants could use any available funds to fix other aspects of the roster. Left field is also a major need. Let’s also not sleep on them targeting a big pitcher.