MLB shortstop Wander Franco is facing the consequences of his alleged relationship (some are now saying relationships, with an “s”) with a minor, and based on recent reporting, his future baseball career could be in jeopardy.
Before Franco was sent away from the Tampa Bay Rays team, he was one of the most talented players in the major leagues. This year, the 22-year-old earned his first ever All-Star nod, and in 2021, the talented shortstop signed an 11-year deal with the Rays for $182 million dollars.
Over the past weekend, rumors and allegations started swirling that Franco might have been in a relationship with a 14-year-old girl. Once the MLB investigation began, it also became known that another 17-year-old minor came forward and said that she too had been a part of an improper relationship with the baseball star.
As the investigation ensues, things are already not looking good for Wander Franco and his baseball career.
Someone close to the investigation spoke to MLB insider Héctor Gómez and said:
“It will be very unlikely that Wander Franco will play in MLB again, judging by the results of the investigations that are currently being carried out, which directly commit him to the accusations against him.”
If the investigation finds that the rumors and allegations are true, it could be one of the fastest falls from grace the sports world has ever seen.
In addition, Wander Franco was one of the young stars in the MLB that was expected to be a part of the next generation of stars. The allegations and potential charges have derailed a career that looked to be as promising as there was in all of professional sports.
When the news initially started to become public, the Tampa Bay Rays released this statement regarding the matter:
“We support any steps taken by the league to better understand the situation. Out of respect for all parties involved, we have no further comments at this time.”
Wander Franco took to his Instagram live to defend himself back on Sunday, speaking in Spanish to his social media followers and saying:
‘They’re saying I got with a young girl, that I’m running around with a minor out there. How crazy is that, dude? People don’t know what to do with their time. Go see. Those people need to get moving.
One is here focused, doing my thing, you see, thanks to God. That’s why I prefer to be on my side and not get involved with anybody because people are so gossipy.”
