JUST IN: Rays key man summon to court for shocking accusation

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC — The initial court hearing for Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been delayed until September. According to ESPN in the Dominican Republic, Franco is now required to attend a second preliminary hearing on September 26. The postponement was requested by Franco’s lawyer due to prosecutors failing to provide all the evidence in advance.

Wander Franco has been under investigation by both MLB and Dominican authorities since August 2023 due to social media posts that suggested he had a relationship with a minor. Following the initiation of these investigations, Franco was placed on the MLB’s restricted list, which removed him from the Rays roster. He has not played since then.

Franco was later placed on administrative leave by the league under its domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse policy, which is not considered disciplinary and allows the player to continue receiving pay. His leave continued through the end of the season and resumed on Opening Day as part of an agreement lasting until June 1. On May 31, his leave was extended through July 14.

In December 2023, Franco received a $700,000 bonus from the MLB’s pre-arbitration bonus pool and continued to earn his $2 million salary. This season, he also has a $2 million salary as part of an 11-year, $182 million contract he signed in November 2021, but he will not be paid if suspended due to the ongoing investigation.

Franco was arrested on January 1 for missing a scheduled meeting with his prosecutor but was released conditionally four days later by a Dominican judge. He is required to return monthly to meet with authorities and was informed that he would face a lesser charge of sexual and psychological abuse instead of the more severe charges of commercial and sexual exploitation and money laundering, which could have led to significantly longer prison sentences. As a result, the maximum potential prison term he now faces is up to five years.