MLB, MLBPA make decision on Rays' All-Star SS

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco.

Thursday is Opening Day for 24 MLB teams, including the Tampa Bay Rays.

Unsurprisingly, one member of the Rays who won’t be in attendance when Tampa Bay hosts the Toronto Blue Jays at 4:10 ET will be star shortstop Wander Franco.

According to a report by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, Franco has been taken off of the team’s 40-man roster and placed on administrative leave through June 1.

The report added that the decision was made in a joint agreement between MLB and the MLB Players Association (MLBPA). Topkin called it “really just a matter of paperwork,” as the 23-year-old has been away from the organization since mid-August, when allegations first of an inappropriate relationship with a minor first came out.

Franco has still yet to be formally charged, but according to the report, remains under investigation in his native Dominican Republic. He is being accused of “sexual and psychological abuse, and abduction” and has been required to make “monthly check-ins with court officials through June 30 unless his case is resolved prior.”

“In setting an end date for this stay on administrative leave, the league and union basically established a two-month window for any developments in his case and status. If there are none, the parties will convene again and could decide to extend Franco’s stay on administrative leave, move him to the restricted list or consider other options. The administrative leave stay could end earlier if there was a significant change in Franco’s circumstances, such as resolution of the case in the Dominican,” Topkin wrote. “The question leading up to Thursday was whether Franco would be placed on the restricted list and not paid his $2 million salary, based on the premise that by not reporting to spring camp he is failing to provide his services. It has been unclear if Franco, with charges pending, would have been allowed in the United States had he tried to enter under his work visa. This decision seems to remove any financial motivation for Franco to try to report.”

On Aug. 14, the Rays and Franco mutually agreed that he would go on the restricted list and “take leave from the Club for the duration” of that road trip.

The team then released the following statement on the matter.

The 2023 All-Star was first placed on administrative leave on Aug. 22 and remained there for the rest of last season. Franco was reinstated to the 40-man roster on Nov. 2 in a procedural move.

He last played on Aug. 12 against the Cleveland Guardians.

Topkin wrote that Franco’s playing status is “likely to remain uncertain for a while,” pending the “timeline and conclusion of the Dominican investigation.” He would then likely be investigated by MLB officials and “could be suspended” under the domestic violence policy, per the report.

Tampa Bay inked Franco to an 11-year, $182M contract in November 2021 and still owe him $174M in guaranteed money on the deal.

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