Follow usFormer Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies infielder Maikel Franco joined the Japanese team Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles as an overseas free agent for the next Nippon Professional Baseball season, the club said on Thursday.
The 30-year-old, who averaged .229 with nine homers and 39 RBIs in 103 games for the Nationals this year, has hit 130 home runs in a nine-year major league career that also included stints with the Kansas City Royals and Baltimore Orioles.
Franco said he looked forward to playing in front of the Eagles’ fans and would work hard to help the team win.
Listed as a third baseman with Washington, the right-handed hitter from the Dominican Republic, can also play first base. He debuted in the majors with the Phillies in 2014 and hit 20 or more home runs in three straight seasons for the club from 2016 to 2018.
The Sendai-based Eagles are looking for additional offensive firepower to improve on their fourth-place finish in the Pacific League this year.
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