Getty Image / Duane Burleson
Wander Franco is one of the brightest young stars in baseball. But, he is under the spotlight for allegedly all the wrong reasons.
Franco was out of the lineup for the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. And, Rays manager Kevin Cash said it was just a normal off day.
just a scheduled day off for wander franco per tricia…
— el patrón ⚾️ (@ExtendKevinCash) August 13, 2023
But, social media will tell you this is not the case. Again, none of the following allegations are proven in any way.
Here is MLB.com with some more details.
The Rays released a statement Sunday night noting that Major League Baseball is looking into social media posts about star shortstop Wander Franco that surfaced earlier in the day.
“During today’s game, we were made aware of the social media posts that are circulating regarding Wander Franco,” the club’s statement said. “We take the situation seriously and are in close contact with Major League Baseball as it conducts its due diligence.”
On Sunday, social media posts went viral alleging that Franco, 22, had been in an inappropriate relationship with a minor.
Obviously, these are very serious allegations, and could result in some serious disciplinary action against the 22-year-old if they are deemed to be true by the relevant authorities. Meanwhile, the Rays are playing it safe.
MLB is looking into the social media posts and has yet to verify the information. This early in the process, without confirmed facts, Franco could be placed on the restricted list or administrative leave. The Rays, when asked about Franco not being on the plane, declined comment.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 14, 2023
Not really much more to say than this. Not a good situation all around.