Photo: STRINGER
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has reportedly been placed on the restricted list hours after being formally charged with sex crimes against a minor, sources with knowledge of the situation told ESPN's Jeff Passan on Wednesday (July 10).
Franco, 23, was initially placed on administrative leave for a second time in March ahead of the beginning of the 2024 MLB season, which had since been extended, amid multiple accusations of inappropriate relationships with underage girls dating back to last season.
"Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been placed on the restricted list, sources tell ESPN. Previously, he was on administrative leave. With charges filed against Franco, admin leave ended and Rays requested a shift to the restricted list for failure to report. MLB acceded," Passan wrote on his X account.
The former No. 1 overall international prospect has been under investigation since July 10, 2023 after a 14-year-old girl from his native Dominican Republic filed a complaint about alleged sexual relations. Authorities in the Dominican Republic reportedly raided two homes linked to Franco on December 26, the New York Post reported at the time. The Santo Domingo Prosecutor's Office for Children and Adolescents searched Franco's home in Villa Real, as well as one belonging to Franco's mother in Baní, according to the Dominican newspaper Listin Diario.
Authorities initially confirmed that they were investigating the accusations made against Franco in late August. A complaint against Franco was filed by a 17-year-old girl in his native Dominican Republic in July, the Dominican newspaper Diario Libre reported on August 14.
The report came after a Facebook post re-shared on X claimed Franco "was dating a 14 year old and she is exposing him after he didn't send her the hush money." Diario Libre specified that the underage girl who filed the complaint was not the girl mentioned in the social media posts.
The Rays initially placed Franco "on administrative leave until further notice" amid the allegations on August 22. The two sides had previously agreed to his placement on the restricted list on August 14. Franco appeared to deny the allegations in a video shared on Instagram Live shortly after the allegations were reported.
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