Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has reportedly been placed on administrative leave amid criminal proceedings for his alleged inappropriate relationship with a minor.
Franco, 23, faces accusations in his native Dominican Republic of sexually and psychologically abusing a 14-year-old girl, allegedly having a relationship with the teenager and paying her mother thousands of dollars for her consent.
Franco, who was initially suspended by the Rays, has now been placed on administrative leave until June 1 under an agreement between MLB and the MLBPA, according to ESPN.
Reportedly, his situation could change depending on the evolution of the case in the Dominican Republic.
Originally charged with commercial and sexual exploitation and money laundering (charges that carry up to 30 years, 10 years and 20 years in prison respectively), Franco is now charged instead with sexual and psychological abuse, according to a judge’s ruling obtained by The Associated Press last year. month.
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has reportedly been placed on administrative leave.
Franco, 23, faces accusations of sexual and psychological abuse of a 14-year-old girl
He allegedly had a relationship with the teenager and paid her mother for her consent.
Franco has not been formally charged, but if convicted of the new charge, he could face two to five years in prison.
Franco did not report to spring training with the Rays on Feb. 18, the deadline before the team’s first official full-squad workout.
According to the Tampa Bay Timesthe rest of the Rays’ position players reported to practice on the 18th before practice the next day.
MLB’s ‘mandatory reporting date’ was February 24, a date that also came and went without an official decision being made on Franco’s status for the start of the season.
Franco was initially placed on the restricted list on August 14 amid the Rays’ playoff push.
A week later, MLB placed him on administrative leave as his seven-day period on the restricted list was about to come to an end.
He was reinstated to the 40-man roster on Nov. 2 in a procedural move, as MLB said administrative leave is not in effect during the offseason, which technically began after the conclusion of the World Series.
Now, on opening day of the 2024 season, in which the Rays begin their campaign against the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field, Franco’s administrative leave has been extended until June 1.
Franco did not report to spring training with the Rays on Feb. 18, the deadline before the team’s first official workout with a full roster.
Franco has been away from the team since mid-August, when the allegations first emerged.
According to prosecutors and testimony from the girl and other members of her family, Franco paid the girl’s mother thousands of dollars in cash and other gifts in exchange for the mother’s consent to engage in a sexual relationship with her daughter.
The Code for the Protection of the Rights of Children and Adolescents, Law 136-03 in the Dominican Republic, considers sexual abuse as any relationship between a minor and a person five years older. Franco began having a relationship with the girl when she was 14 years old and he was 21.
Although he has not been formally charged, he must appear in court in the Dominican Republic once a month as part of his bail conditions.
With the charges pending, it has not been clear that Franco would be allowed into the United States if he attempted to enter the country on his work visa.
By setting a deadline of June 1, the MLB and the MLBPA have allowed a period of two months for developments to occur within the investigation in the Dominican Republic.
If there are no changes to his status before then, the two sides will likely meet again to decide whether to extend his stay on administrative leave, move him to the restricted list, or consider other options.
A player continues to receive pay and accrue service in the Major Leagues while on administrative leave.
Franco has been away from the team since mid-August when the allegations first emerged.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer was on administrative leave from July 2, 2021, until the following April 29, when he was suspended for 324 games.
The penalty was reduced by an arbitrator to 194 games. Bauer was charged with assault, an allegation he has repeatedly denied.
Franco will earn $2 million this season as part of an 11-year, $182 million contract that begins in 2022.
Having to carry Franco on their 40-man roster could have limited the Rays’ offseason moves.