Jeff Francoeur can’t be traded for the remainder of the season, as Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports that the Phillies pulled him back after he was recently claimed on revocable waivers.
This might come as a surprise to some, as many have speculated on Francoeur as a potential fit for a contender. The 31-year-old has batted .272 with 12 home runs and a .772 OPS over 92 games this season and could have been a useful bench piece somewhere.
Perhaps a trade would have been more realistic if Francoeur passed through waivers unclaimed, as the Phillies would have been able to negotiate with all 29 teams. However, he was never going to net more than a marginal prospect in return, so it’s not worth getting too worked up about. As Meghan Montemurro of the News Journal points out, Francoeur’s standing in the clubhouse was likely a significant reason why the Phillies ultimately decided to just keep him for the final month and change of the season.