Wander Franco, an All-Star shortstop for the Tampa Bay Rays, sat out of his crew’s sport on Sunday, and the Rays mentioned Main League Baseball was investigating “social media posts” about him.
Franco was within the dugout for the primary a part of Sunday afternoon’s residence sport towards the Cleveland Guardians, then left. The Rays misplaced, 9-2.
“Throughout at present’s sport, we have been made conscious of the social media posts which can be circulating relating to Wander Franco,” the Rays mentioned in a press release Sunday. “We take the state of affairs critically, and are in shut contact with Main League Baseball because it conducts its due diligence.”
Supervisor Kevin Money mentioned after the sport that it was “only a time off.”
“I’m conscious of the hypothesis,” he continued. “I’m not going to remark any additional on that. However the time off was as a result of — a time off.”
MLB.com, The Athletic and The Tampa Bay Instances have been amongst those who reported the incident was associated to social media posts that accused Franco of an inappropriate sexual relationship.
Franco, 22, is in his third season with the Rays and was an All-Star for the primary time this season. He’s hitting .281 with 17 residence runs and 30 stolen bases.
He was benched for 2 video games in June for unspecified disciplinary causes. “Over the course of this season, there’s been in all probability a number of occasions that the way in which he has dealt with his frustrations haven’t been the way in which that we ask our gamers to uphold being one of the best teammate,” Money mentioned on the time.
In 2021, the Rays invested closely in his future, signing him to an 11-year, $182 million contract, which was the richest deal ever for a participant with lower than one 12 months within the majors.
After a sizzling begin to this season, the Rays sit in second within the American League East, three video games behind the Baltimore Orioles, however are in robust place for one of many A.L.’s three wild playing cards.