Rays shortstop Wander Franco shouldn’t be touring with Tampa Bay for a three-game collection with the San Francisco Giants that begins Monday, in response to a number of studies
The workforce confirmed Main League Baseball started investigating social media posts suggesting Franco was having an inappropriate relationship with an underage woman
Franco, 22, didn’t play in Tampa Bay’s 9-2 residence loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday afternoon
“Throughout right now’s sport, we had been made conscious of the social media posts which might be circulating concerning Wander Franco,” the workforce mentioned in an announcement two hours after the sport. “We take the scenario significantly and are in shut contact with Main League Baseball because it conducts its due diligence.
The Spanish-language social media posts had been made Saturday evening and went viral Sunday. Franco was given Sunday’s sport off regardless of a scheduled Wander Franco hat giveaway for followers aged 14 and underneath
Franco was within the dugout when the sport started however reportedly left the stadium throughout the fifth inning
Rays supervisor Kevin Money later informed reporters that Franco was given a “time without work” however acknowledged that he knew concerning the dialogue brewing on social media
“I’m conscious of this hypothesis,” Money mentioned. “I am not going to remark any additional on that. However the time without work was as a result of (of) the time without work.
The Rays signed Franco to a $182 million, 11-year contract in November 2021, with a workforce choice for 2033 that would make the deal price as much as $223 million
Franco made his first All-Star Recreation this 12 months and has had a robust season on the sphere. He’s batting .281 with 17 residence runs, 58 RBIs and 30 stolen bases over 112 video games for a workforce in line to make the postseason
The Rays additionally selected to bench Franco for 2 video games in July in response to his conduct round his teammates and the way he would take care of frustration
–Area Stage Medi