The young outfielder looks to make an immediate impact in Baltimore.
Christian Franklin thought his first major league game was finally going to happen with the Washington Nationals. Then the trade deadline arrived.
Instead of making his debut with the organization that drafted him, Franklin found himself on the Baltimore Orioles, joining a team still fighting for something meaningful in August.
Just a day later, he was standing in left field at Camden Yards for his first major league start.
“It was definitely unexpected, just the way it happened, super close to the deadline,” Franklin said after his debut, via MASN. “But I mean, it’s a blessing.”
For Franklin, the timing was strange. The opportunity was exactly what he had been waiting for.
The 26-year-old outfielder reached the majors after a long path that included a torn patellar tendon that cost him the 2022 season and slowed his development. There were stretches where the goal was simply getting back on the field, let alone reaching the biggest stage in baseball.
Franklin said he leaned on his faith and confidence in himself throughout the process.
“It was definitely a long road,” Franklin said. “Getting hurt, tearing my patella tendon... just going up slowly and slowly, but I knew that it would happen eventually.”
When it finally did happen, the moment came with another surprise.
Before his first at-bat, Orioles fans gave Franklin a standing ovation despite many of them knowing very little about the player who had just joined the organization days earlier.
That reaction stuck with him.
“I think that was one of the things that caught me off guard,” Franklin said. “How welcoming everybody was.”
Franklin rewarded that support in his debut, drawing a walk, scoring a run and stealing a base in Baltimore’s 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels. The box score wasn't overwhelming, but it showed the type of player the Orioles acquired at the deadline.
Before joining Baltimore, Franklin hit .245 with a .370 on-base percentage in 88 games at Triple-A Rochester. He also stole 16 bases in 20 attempts while showing the ability to play all three outfield positions. Those skills were immediately tested.
Franklin made his first start in left field at Camden Yards, a position he admitted comes with plenty of space to cover.
“There’s a lot of room out there,” Franklin said.
He leaned on advice from Orioles outfielders Dylan Beavers and Colton Cowser, who told him the biggest thing was trusting his instincts and not giving up on balls hit into the gaps. Franklin ended up making a difficult catch in his debut, something he credited to preparation before the game.
For Franklin, the biggest adjustment hasn't been the baseball itself. It has been the situation surrounding it.
He spent years trying to reach the majors. Now he’s trying to contribute to a team chasing a postseason spot.
“It’s awesome to be playing for something,” Franklin said. “Rather than just playing for yourself or developing in the minor leagues, you’re actually trying to win something.”
That opportunity came later than Franklin expected. It also came at a time when Baltimore needed another versatile piece in its outfield.
Now the player who spent years waiting for his first chance is trying to make sure he does something with it.
