The Tampa Bay Rays have placed Wander Franco on the restricted list. Here is everything we know so far.
The Tampa Bay Rays placed Wander Franco on the restricted list as MLB completes its investigation into social media claims that the shortstop was in a relationship with a minor. Those claims came on Sunday, as Franco sat out due to a regularly-scheduled off day. Franco will not travel with the team to San Francisco, and will miss an indefinite amount of time.
The allegations suggested that Franco had an inappropriate relationship with a 14-year-old girl. Thus far, neither Franco nor his representatives have responded for comment. As FanSided's Alicia de Artola noted at the time, Franco's off day was oddly-timed:
"Franco had been one of the hottest hitters in the league over the last few weeks. In his last 14 games, he has 23 hits, 11 RBI and six home runs while slashing .411/.476/.804. It was an admittedly odd time to schedule an off day for him. Especially on a day with a scheduled giveaway for Wander Franco Snap Back hats."
Wander Franco social media posts: Will Rays star be disciplined?
The Rays and Kevin Cash responded when prompted for comment by the media. Cash relayed that Franco was not given the day off because of any social media rumblings, while Tampa Bay said they were complying with an MLB investigation and take the matter seriously.
"During today's game, we were made aware of the social media posts that are circulating regarding Wander Franco. We take the situation seriously and are in close contact with Major League Baseball as it conducts its due diligence," the Rays statement read.
The social media posts went viral during Sunday's game, and Franco was removed from the dugout in the fifth inning.
What is the MLB restricted list?
The restricted list is often used by organizations to keep players like Wander Franco off the roster while they're being investigated by MLB. Franco is unlikely to be paid during this time period. Per baseball-reference, "a team can request that a player be placed on the restricted list if that player has left the team without a valid reason, or has announced his intention to retire but is still of an age or level of skill that could allow him to return to professional baseball in the future. In effect, the team states that it retains rights to the player if and when he becomes active again. The list is also used to place a player who is unavailable to play for non-baseball reasons, such as personal issues or trouble with the law."
We'll have more on this story as it becomes available.