NEW YORK – Gabe Kapler filled out another lineup card on Tuesday afternoon with Maikel Franco batting eighth. It was Franco’s eighth-straight start in the No. 8 spot, a place he had not hit from since 2014 when Franco was a 21-year-old September call up.
The new spot has brought some early positives. Franco entered Tuesday with nine hits in his first 21 at-bats from the eighth spot. Yes, it is a small sample size. But after a difficult start to the season, the Phillies will value any sign of positivity for the player who arrived with such hype the last time he was batting eighth.