Odds are it’s all downhill from here for Showtime’s The Franchise — and the show is just three weeks old.

The most recent installment, which debuted Wednesday night, chronicled the Marlins’ trade-deadline dismantling. It was pretty good drama.

But with the Marlins light years from contention and their star players either shipped (i.e. Hanley Ramirez) or ailing (Giancarlo Stanton), the gripping storylines could dry up in the weeks to come.

Perhaps with that in mind, the producers were wise to wait until next week before shipping Ramirez to Los Angeles. (Or else, they simply ran out of time.)

The highlights:

For most the show, speculation abounded about who was going to be traded. Heath Bell even mugged for the camera with a copy of USA Today, which speculated his move to Boston (which, as of Wednesday night, hadn’t happened).

Sadly, the show didn’t shed much light on the trades that were discussed, but never happened. Larry Beinfest, the Marlins’ president of baseball operations, simply punted when asked about the proposed Ramirez/Bell for Carl Crawford blockbuster.

“I see all kinds of rumors,” Beinfest said coyly. “If I’m interested, I go to the source. I get a chuckle out of bunch of them. Sometimes they’re right, sometimes they’re wrong.”

• There are signs that manager Ozzie Guillen might be getting under his boss’ skin.

Before leaving for vacation, team president David Samson tells Guillen that he’s going to have to handle things in Samson’s absence.

Guillen’s response: “I’ve been handling [expletive] without you the last 48 years.”

As Guillen walks away, Samson simply shakes his head, and not in amusement.

• The episode ends with the Marlins trading Anibal Sanchez and Omar Infante to Detroit.

Infante, for one, seems elated to get out of town. He can’t stop smiling upon learning the news, and even thanks Beinfest and Guillen.

In response, Guillen (playfully) shoots him the bird.