Maikel Franco has been one of the Phillies' best hitters so far this season.
In 30 games, the 26-year-old third baseman is hitting .262/.344/.514 with seven homers, 25 RBI, 14 walks and just 12 strikeouts. Albeit a small sample size, Franco has better numbers across the board than Manny Machado so far in 2019.
"There's a very good chance Manny Machado, over the course of the next couple of months catches fire, and we might be having a different discussion," Gabe Kapler laughed on Thursday's 94WIP Morning Show (Kapler usually joins Angelo Cataldi and the 94WIP Morning Show every Wednesday at 9am).
"What I will say is that, Maikel Franco has made real tangible mechanical swing adjustments which has allowed him to get the ball in the air, drive the ball to the opposite field more frequently. He's also putting in his mind he has a goal, that he's not going to be hitting the ball on the ground as frequently as he did last year. And therefore what you're seeing is some of those hard hit balls that he hit to third base last year, now going into the gap, sometimes into the seats, and he's become one of the more productive players in the first half of the season.
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"I think he's always had those contact skills. I think the biggest difference is the quality of contact rather than—and he is striking out less and walking more. But that part is not as dramatic as when he does put the ball in play hard with authority it's in the air and it's beating infielders and beating outfielders. So, historically he's always put the ball in play. It's one of his skills. He's got good contact skills, bat to ball skills, but he's really putting the ball in the air and the ball is carrying."
The Phillies, whom are off on Thursday, are 17-13 and 2.0 games ahead of the Mets and Braves for first place in the National League East.
