Wander Franco hasn’t played in a game for the Tampa Bay Rays since August 12, with the star shortstop being placed on the Major League Baseball restricted list soon after.
What happened that changed his status? There’s an investigation unfolding, both from MLB and his native Dominican Republic, stemming from accusations made against him on social media.
If you’re catching up on the story or have no idea what’s going on, we’re here to help. Here’s a breakdown of what those allegations are and where the investigations are at while Franco continues to sit out from Rays games:
Franco was placed on the restricted list (meaning he's not paid) as MLB launched an investigation on Monday
The Rays made a statement about social media posts with allegations against Franco, and though they didn’t say exactly what was in those posts, there have been reports.
First, the statement sent on Sunday, Aug. 13, via USA TODAY Sports:
“During today’s game, we were made aware of the social media posts that are circulating regarding Wander Franco. We take the situation seriously and are in close contact with Major League Baseball as it conducts its due diligence.”
What are the allegations?
The Dominican Republic attorney general’s office revealed that it is investigating Franco for an alleged relationship with a minor. Per the Associated Press, a prosecutor said the investigation is “being handled by a division specializing in minors and gender violence in the province of Peravia.”
There were also allegations of a second relationship with a minor
Rays star Wander Franco has been linked to an inappropriate relationship with a second underage girl, in his native Dominican Republic, according to the Dominican newspaper Diario Libre, which cited a source in the Dominican Republic attorney general’s office.
Diario Libre reported the complaint against Franco, 22, was filed in July by a 17-year-old girl.
What has Franco said about these investigations?
The Athletic reports that he denied the allegations in an Instagram Live video shot in the Rays clubhouse, and that it “featured teammate Jose Siri in the background, yelling in Spanish that the allegations stemmed from ‘people after money.'”
“Franco has expressed his innocence to teammates, sources briefed on the matter said,” wrote The Athletic’s Evan Drellich and Brittany Ghiroli, “but acknowledged that being around the Rays would be a distraction.”
What's next?
There’s all kinds of speculation as to how long these investigations could take and what MLB or the Rays could do if he’s found to have carried on these relationships. So we’re a long way off from an answer to that question, but there was this from Dominican journalist Hector Gomez:
A person very close to the investigations into the case of Wander Franco: "It will be very unlikely that Wander Franco will play in MLB again, judging by the results of the investigations that are currently being carried out, which directly commit him to the accusations against… https://t.co/Yn5CGckJgE
— Héctor Gómez (@hgomez27) August 17, 2023
