It will take some time to see if getting benched two games for behavior unbecoming of a good teammate will truly make a difference for Wander Franco. But fans can take solace in knowing that the Tampa Bay Rays shortstop's swing remains sharp, despite the recent bad publicity.

In his first at-bat since manager Kevin Cash formally disciplined him, Franco hit a solo home run to center field off Kansas City Royals pitcher Jordan Lyles Saturday, via Talkin' Baseball. It was his ninth of the season and likely a euphoric moment for the 22-year-old. His prowess at the plate and in the field is not in question, though.

The claim that Franco allows his frustrations to improperly take over within the clubhouse raised a lot of alarms. He is young and dealing with sky-high expectations, but that is no excuse for allegedly casting a negative presence. There is growth needed, and he knows that.

“I need to control my emotions better,” he told Bally Sports' Tricia Whitaker before the game. Wander Franco's road to redemption is being emphatically backed by veteran pitcher and Rays standout Zach Eflin, who shared a heartwarming message for him. The fact that he wasted no time in producing for the team after these trying couple days shows strong mental fortitude.

Now, Franco must build off that and harness all of his energy in a constructive manner in order to become a long-term positive presence for this team. He is probably going to be one of the top faces of the franchise for the next decade. Correcting his mistakes early will allow Franco to be remembered fondly and maybe even cherished in the many years to come.