Wander Franco during the All-Star Game last July. AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson.
Con Major League Baseball investigating social media posts involving the Tampa Bay shortstop, Wander Francothe 22-year-old All-Star, did not travel on the team plane to San Francisco ahead of the Rays’ series with the Giants, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
“During today’s game, we learned of the social media posts going around about Wander Franco,” the Rays said in a statement Sunday. «We take the situation seriously and are in close contact with Major League Baseball as it conducts its due diligence.«.
The Dominican shortstop was placed on the restricted list by the Rays. Tampa Bay did not detail the nature of the social media posts.
While MLB investigates social media posts to verify the information, Franco was placed on a restricted list, which removes him from the roster and in most cases without pay, according to information provided by an MLB official to ESPN’s Passan. .
Wander Franco, who did not play in Sunday’s game against Cleveland, was in the Rays’ dugout early in the game and then left the game during the fifth inning. He did not speak to the media after Tampa Bay’s 9-2 loss.
Sunday’s promotion at Tropicana Field was a cap snapback by Wander Franco for fans under 14 years of age.
After the game, Rays manager Kevin Cash was asked if there was a problem with Franco not playing more than a normal day off. Cash replied, “No.”
“I’m aware of the speculation and I’m not going to comment further on that,” Cash said. “The day off was because [era] a day off”.
The Rays called up Osleivis Basabe to start at shortstop in his major league debut. Basabe, who went 1 for 3 with a double, learned he was being called up to the majors during his game Saturday night with Triple-A Durham.
Teams have used the shortlist, in which a player is cut from the roster and generally not paid, for a variety of reasons: substance abuse treatment, arrests, missed games, visa issues, and at the request of players solve different situations. On administrative leave, which was used in the case of former Los Angeles Dodgers starter Trevor Bauer, while the league investigated domestic violence allegations against him, the player is removed from the roster but receives his salary. MLB and the MLB Players Association must jointly agree to place a player on administrative leave.
In November 2021, Tampa Bay signed Franco to an 11-year, $182 million contract, a deal that could reach as much as $223 million if a team option is exercised for 2033.
Franco, who just made his first All-Star Game and is among the league leaders in wins over replacement player this season, is hitting .281/.344/.475 with 17 home runs and 58 RBIs and has 30 stolen bases in 40 on attempts, in 112 games.
Earlier this season, the Rays benched Franco for “not being the best teammate,” Cash said, in the way he handled his frustrations on the field.
The Rays begin a three-game series with the Giants on Monday.
Information from The Associated Press was included in this note.
Via: ESPN.com
2023-08-15 09:14:43
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