11 Homers in 39 Games: Why Maikel Franco's Release Is The Wildest Story In Baseball Right Now

Holy smokes, you guys, you are NOT going to believe the wildness coming out of the baseball world this week. As Seattle fans, we live for the unexpected, the grind, and the sheer craziness of baseball, and this story? It's on another level. We're talking about Maikel Franco, a former Phillies slugger who was absolutely CRUSHING it in the Mexican League, like, seriously mashing, and then BAM! His team, the Diablos Rojos, just cut him loose. Yeah, I had to read it twice too.

You Cannot Make These Numbers Up

Seriously, wrap your head around this. Franco, who once looked like a future cornerstone for the Phillies, was released earlier this week despite putting up genuinely impressive power numbers. We're talking about a guy who hit an astounding .272 with 11 home runs and 31 RBIs in just 39 games. THIRTY-NINE GAMES! That's a full-on power surge, folks. Besibolpuro even reported that he had the fourth-highest number of home runs in the entire 2026 Mexican Baseball League season. It's truly baffling when you see production like that and then hear about a release. It makes zero sense on the surface, doesn't it?

From Phillies Prospect to International Journeyman

Franco's career has been a rollercoaster, and maybe that's why this latest twist hits harder. He debuted with the Phillies in 2014 and was quickly seen as one of their brightest young hitters. He even hit more than 20 homers in three different seasons with the franchise, spending six years there before leaving after the 2019 campaign. But things got rocky. His 2019 season in Philadelphia was so frustrating that he lost his everyday role and even earned a demotion to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Since then, the 33-year-old has been a true baseball nomad, playing for the Kansas City Royals, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, and even stints in Japan and Mexico.

What's Next for Franco and the Game?

So, why would a team release a player who's hitting .272 with 11 dingers in 39 games? The reports suggest that international leagues sometimes have to consider things beyond just stats, like foreign-player limits or organizational priorities. It's a tough part of the game we don't always see up here in the Emerald City. The good news is Franco didn't stay a free agent for long, immediately joining the Mexican League's El Aguila de Veracruz. If he keeps up this power surge, maybe, just maybe, he could even look for a return to affiliate baseball in the near future. It's a wild story, and it just proves that in baseball, you never truly know what's coming next. While Franco's saga is unfolding abroad, we've got our own early season battles right here. Every game matters for our Mariners as Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez lead the charge at T-Mobile Park. Let's keep that energy high for our boys in blue!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.