Former Phillies Star Slugger Suddenly Cut By New Team Amid Power Surge

BusinessSportsMoneyFormer Phillies Star Slugger Suddenly Cut By New Team Amid Power SurgeByPeter Chawaga,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Peter Chawaga is a writer and editor covering Major League Baseball.Follow AuthorJun 12, 2026, 06:30am EDTBALTIMORE, MD - JULY 12: Maikel Franco #7 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 12, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe Philadelphia Phillies have seen plenty of former players continue their careers in independent leagues and overseas after leaving Major League Baseball, but one former cornerstone has now hit an unexpected turning point.Former Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco — who hit more than 20 homers in three different seasons with the franchise and once seemed like a big part of its future — was released by the Mexican League's Diablos Rojos earlier this week despite producing impressive power numbers this season, according to multiple Spanish-language reports.“The Dominican Maikel Franco was released by the Diablos Rojos after hitting .272, with 11 home runs and 31 RBIs in 39 games,” Besibolpuro reported in a translated post on X. “Franco had the fourth-highest number of home runs in the 2026 season of the Mexican Baseball League.”ForbesCubs Quickly Acquire 5-Year Veteran Cast Off By League LeaderBy Peter ChawagaPhiladelphia Phillies Former Star Infielder Maikel Franco Released From Latest TeamFranco’s production made the sudden release a bit of a surprise, but Phillies fans will recall that he isn’t a stranger to midseason demotions.MORE FOR YOUFranco debuted with the Phillies in 2014 and quickly became one of the organization's most highly regarded young hitters, spending six seasons with the club before departing after the 2019 campaign.His final season in Philadelphia proved especially frustrating. “Once considered a...