ST. PETERSBURG — Wander Franco’s future with the Rays remains uncertain as he was shifted Tuesday to administrative leave indefinitely by Major League Baseball while multiple investigations continue into allegations of inappropriate relationships with one or more minors.
Franco, 22, had been on the restricted list for the past week — by mutual agreement with the Rays — as MLB and authorities in his native Dominican Republic launched investigations spurred by social media posts that surfaced Aug. 13 and quickly went viral.
The switch to the more formal administrative leave — which is not considered a disciplinary measure — puts the All-Star shortstop under league control, as it is part of the MLB/players union’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy, and the move was made in an agreement with the union.
The Rays, who open a six-game homestand on Tuesday, said in a statement:
“We support Major League Baseball’s decision to place Wander Franco on Administrative Leave.
“The Tampa Bay Rays are dedicated to upholding high standards of integrity both on and off the field. We appreciate the understanding and patience of our fans and supporters as this process unfolds.
“We will have no further statements on this matter until MLB completes its process.”
Per the announcement, Franco will remain on administrative leave “until further notice as MLB continues its ongoing investigation.” That is a slight change from previous cases where MLB had to go back to the union after seven or 14 days and get approval to extend the stay, and could be an indication there is not expected to be a quick resolution to the investigation.
While on leave, Franco will continue to receive his $2 million salary and service time, as he did while on the restricted list. He also will continue to remain idled and away from the team, having last played Aug. 12. He was scheduled to be off Aug. 13, the day the social media posts went viral.
The players union and Jay Reisinger, a prominent attorney hired by Franco, declined comment.
Administrative leave is often used when accusations are made public before the league concludes its investigation. Another factor for using administrative leave can be the potential for the issue to “cause significant disruption” to the player’s team. A player can challenge placement on administrative leave by going before an arbitration panel, so MLB presumably would be confident it had sufficient cause.
Administrative leave is not necessarily a precursor to league discipline. Nor does an absence of criminal charges preclude the league from imposing a suspension or other disciplinary action.
Talks about the shift from the restricted list to administrative leave, which involve representatives from MLB, the union and Franco, started Monday and carried into Tuesday morning, when an announcement was made shortly after 10 a.m.
It read: “Per an agreement between MLB and the MLBPA, Wander Franco has been placed on Administrative Leave until further notice as MLB continues its ongoing investigation. The administrative leave, effective immediately, is not disciplinary under the Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. We will comment further at the appropriate time.”
The Rays have taken some subtle steps to distance themselves from Franco, as highlights of his play have been dropped from TV commercials airing games.
The future of a large Franco banner on the Tropicana Field rotunda would also seem to be in jeopardy, and it will be interesting to see if his merchandise is still available or displayed in the team store Tuesday, when the Rays play the Colorado Rockies.
There have been no public acknowledgements of timetables to complete either investigation, so the potential for Franco to return this season if exonerated is unclear.
The Dominican investigation, per the Associated Press, is being handled by the National Agency for Boys, Girls, Adolescents and Family and Gender Violence Unit. A prosecutor there said they “might be able” to provide some details of the situation this week “without hurting the investigation.”
That Franco hired Reisinger, who has represented several big-leaguers who recently faced domestic violence-related allegations; and additional representation in the Dominican; could be seen as a sign of a lengthy timetable for resolution.
Franco has not commented on the developments since the investigations began. In an Instagram Live post from the clubhouse before the Aug. 13 game, and before team officials said they were aware of the social media posts, Franco, speaking in Spanish, seemed to dispute the accusations:
“They say that I’m in public with a little girl, that I’m running around with a minor. People don’t know what to do with their time. They don’t know what they’re talking about. That’s why I prefer to be on my side and not get involved with anybody … because people gossip and talk smack.”
Someone off camera said, “people always looking to get money,” to which Franco responded: “You tell ’em.” A few seconds later centerfielder Jose Siri walked behind Franco dancing, and Franco laughed and said: “That’s the best rhythm,” adding a slang expression meaning, “I’m good, brother.”
Franco had been having a strong season, hitting .281 with 17 homers, 58 RBIs and an .819 OPS. His 5.5 WAR rating, per baseball-reference.com, is fifth-best among all position players in the majors, and his 2.2 defensive WAR is tops.
The Rays are 4-3 in this stretch without him, with prospect Osleivis Basabe called up to replace him at shortstop.
The Rays in November 2021 signed Franco to a franchise-record contract that guarantees him $182 million over 11 years and could be worth up to $223 million over 12.
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