Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has reportedly been placed on administrative leave as the 2024 season gets underway, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times initially broke the news. However, Passan reports that Franco's status may change.
“News: Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been placed on administrative leave through June 1 per an agreement between MLB and the MLBPA, a source tells ESPN. Franco's status could change before then depending on proceedings in the criminal case in the Dominican Republic,” Passan wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Wander Franco's MLB future
Franco, 23, was a highly-regarded prospect in the Rays organization before making his MLB debut in 2021. He immediately displayed signs of stardom and ultimately was selected to the American League All-Star team in 2023. The Rays infielder slashed .281/.344/.475/.819 across 112 games played.
Franco's '23 season was cut short after disturbing allegations emerged. The Rays infielder was accused of having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl. Franco was placed on the restricted list due to the allegations as an investigation occurred. Some rumors even suggested that Franco may never play in MLB again.
The results of the investigation will obviously play a pivotal role in Franco's future. According to Passan, the allegations are still unresolved.
“Wander Franco spent the final six weeks of last season on paid administrative leave, and with the allegations of a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old still legally unresolved, the league and union agreed to two more months of admin leave,” Passan wrote on X.
For now, it is uncertain what the future holds for Franco. There have been various reports since the news originally surfaced in 2023. Many analysts have speculated on Franco's future.
At the moment, it doesn't seem like Franco will return to MLB anytime soon, if ever. It's difficult to imagine him re-joining the Rays and playing baseball at the MLB level after everything that has occurred.
With that being said, investigations will continue to take place. This will be a situation certainly worth monitoring moving forward. We will continue to provide updates as they are made available.
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