Major League Baseball made an announcement on Tuesday regarding Wander Franco, the talented shortstop for the Tampa Bay Rays. Franco has been placed on administrative leave “until further notice” while the league conducts an investigation into allegations against him.
Franco, who is 22 years old, has been on the restricted list since August 14th, when social media posts surfaced regarding inappropriate relationships with minors. It’s important to note that at this time, Franco is not being disciplined under the league’s joint policy for domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse. The league stated that it will provide further comments when appropriate.
In addition to MLB’s investigation, reports from The Associated Press confirm that Franco is also being investigated by a prosecutor in the Dominican Republic, specifically by a division that focuses on minors and gender violence.
Although Franco’s change in MLB status may not have a significant impact on him as a player, considering he hasn’t played a game since August 12th, the decision to place him on administrative leave is consistent with how the league handled the investigation of Trevor Bauer, a former Cy Young Award-winning pitcher accused of sexual assault by multiple women.
With administrative leave, a player is removed from the team’s roster but continues to receive payment. This leave can be extended indefinitely with approval from the players’ union.
In Bauer’s case, the leave lasted throughout the second half of the 2021 season. He was ultimately suspended for 324 games, but an independent arbitrator ended the suspension early, making Bauer eligible for the 2023 season. However, he forfeited $37 million in overall salary and was subsequently released by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Currently, Bauer is playing in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.
Franco, who was named an All-Star for the first time this season, is a prized asset for the Rays organization. Despite having played only 70 games at the major league level, Tampa Bay signed him to an impressive contract in November 2021, guaranteeing him $182 million over 11 years. He is currently in the second year of that contract.
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