Cutting Ties

The Phillies said goodbye to half their starting infielder on Monday. Maikel Franco and Cesar Hernandez, two longtime South Philadelphia mainstays, weren't offered contracts by the 8pm deadline -- victims of rising salaries, amidst declining expectations.
Both were arbitration eligible, yet their productivity no longer seemed in line with expected salaries of nearly $7 million for Franco and $11 million for Hernandez -- especially with the versatile Scott Kingery, locked into a $4 million deal and coming off a 2019 more productive than either veteran.

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