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Tampa Bay Rays’ Wander Franco watches from the dugout during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Tampa Bay Rays star shortstop Wander Franco has been placed on the restricted list after allegations surfaced about an inappropriate relationship with a minor.
“The Tampa Bay Rays and Wander Franco have mutually agreed that he will go on the Restricted List and take leave from the Club for the duration of the current road trip,” the Rays’ statement read.
Major League Baseball is also launching an investigation into the matter.
Franco sat during what was described as a scheduled day off on Sunday, according to manager Kevin Cash, but did not travel with the team to San Francisco for an upcoming series against the Giants. He will remain back in Tampa for the remainder of the team’s road trip, which will carry through to Aug. 20.
It was on Sunday that now-deleted posts on X (formerly Twitter) alleged that the 22-year-old Franco was involved with a 14-year-old minor.
On his Instagram Live, Franco denied the allegations.
“They say that I’m in public with a little girl, that I’m running around with a minor,” Franco said (h/t Jay Recher). “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.”
Cash said he was made aware of the allegations but declined to comment, as did general manager Peter Bendix, per the Tampa Bay Times.
Franco signed an 11-year contract worth $182 million in November 2021 with the Rays, which includes a team option for 2033 that could be worth $223 million.
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