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.
Chris O’Meara/AP
Wander Franco won’t play in this week’s Rays-Giants series in San Francisco as MLB investigates social media allegations against the Rays All-Star.
Franco, 22, did not play Sunday and left the Rays’ dugout in the middle of the game. He is going on the restricted list for at least the rest of the team’s road trip, which runs through Sunday, Aug. 20.
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“During today’s game, we were made aware of the social media posts that are circulating regarding Wander Franco,” the team 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.”
It’s unclear how MLB and the Rays will handle the situation in the short term.
“MLB is looking into the social media posts and has yet to verify the information,” ESPN reported Sunday evening. “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.”
Rays manager Kevin Cash acknowledged the allegations after Sunday’s game.
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“I am aware of this speculation,” he said. “I’m not going to comment any further on that. The day off was because the day off.”
The Rays are in San Francisco for a three-game series that begins Monday night. Franco, a first-time All-Star this year, is in the second year of an 11-year, $182 million contract.
This news story has been updated.