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Wander Franco is back with the Tampa Rays Saturday after being benched the previous two games for not meeting the club's standards of a good teammate, according to manager Kevin Cash. That type of public indictment on a player can be humiliating but also the rude awakening Franco needs to mature into the complete franchise star he is trending towards.
The shortstop opened up about how mentally challenging this whole experience has been for him, while also vowing to improve his attitude going forward.
“It's been really hard, you know, not being with the team,” he told Tricia Whitaker of Bally Sports ahead of Tampa's matchup with the Kansas City Royals. “I'm happy to be back, but it has been difficult. I've been with this organization for a long time, and I think they control the situation well with the errors that I've made. I need to control my emotions better.”
Behavior and body language seem to be the main areas of concern for the 22-year-old talent. Cash and the Rays do not need Franco to be a vocal leader, but he cannot be a detriment to clubhouse morale. In a season where their World Series hopes look more realistic than ever before, it would be absolutely devastating for off-the-field issues to derail what has been a smooth, MLB-leading 53-26 engine to this point.
The potential All-Star, who is batting .287 and is top five in WAR, is taking accountability, though. That is essential. And even more importantly, he has strong support behind him.
“I told him I’m not gonna give up on him,” breakout starting pitcher Zach Eflin told Whitaker. “No one in this clubhouse is..” Wander Franco begins his redemption tour Saturday at 4:10 p.m. ET against Kansas City.
