Will Wander Franco, convicted of sexually assaulting a minor, play in MLB again?
Rays shortstop Wander Franco received a two-year suspended prison after being found guilty of sexually abusing a minor in the Dominican Republic.
The ruling has raised questions about the 24-year-old's MLB future.
He is on MLB's restricted list and last played Aug. 12, 2023, and it's certainly possible he will not play again in the majors.
4 Dominican Major League Baseball player Wander Franco attends a trial at the Palace of Justice in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic on June 26, 2025.
Orlando Barría/EPA/Shutterstock
Franco signed a franchise record 11-year, $182 million extension with the Rays in 2021 that can be worth up to $223 million and includes a club option for the 2033 season.
Sportico noted how Thursday's ruling affects whether Franco will be allowed to enter the United States since he has a criminal record in a foreign country.
Franco reportedly could remain in the United States from 2021-23 due to a visa, and this ruling could affect whether he can obtain another visa.
ESPN said it's 'likely' Franco will have trouble getting a visa and he would remain on the restricted list without one.
The U.S. Department of State can shoot down a visa application if an applicant has a criminal history, including sexual abuse, per Sportico.
4 wander Franco at his trial on June 26, 2025.
AP
MLB is still investigating the situation and could levy discipline on Franco. He is not paid while on the restricted list.
The league could make him ineligible through its joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy, although Franco could appeal such a decision, per Sportico.
Franco also was charged in the Dominican Republic for illegal possession of a handgun in June and the case is pending, per ESPN.
4 Wander Franco in 2023.
AP
'Major League Baseball is proud to have a collectively bargained Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy that reflects our commitment to these issues,' the league said in a statement released Thursday, per MLB.com. 'We are aware of today's verdict in the Wander Franco trial and will conclude our investigation at the appropriate time.'
The Rays could try to void the contract due to Franco violating clauses regarding conduct, with Franco being found guilty for sexually abusing a 14-year-old while he was 21.
As Sportico noted, though, that could be a slippery slope, with the Padres losing a battle in 1987 after pitcher LaMarr Hoyt received a 45-day jail sentence.
4 Wander Franco #5 of the Tampa Bay Rays hits a two run homer against the Yankees during a 2023 game.
Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Tampa Bay could always just release Franco, although such a decision would almost surely come after the two-year sentence and following any potential MLB discipline.
The sides could also attempt to negotiate a buyout.
Should Franco become a free agent, it's still uncertain of whether any other teams would be willing to sign him following this conviction.
MLB teams have not signed pitcher Trevor Bauer after he received a two-year suspension — eventually reduced to 192 games — following assault allegations.
Bauer was not found guilty of a crime and has accused the league owners of being blackballed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
27 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Red Sox Offer Promising Update On Alex Bregman Return
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The first half of the Boston Red Sox season has left much to be desired. The team reached the halfway mark of the year with a record of 40-41 and plummeting postseason odds, along with a slew of injuries and a trade that shook the baseball world. The most impactful bright spot of this season may be set for a return soon, though. "Red Sox' Alex Bregman hit (Friday)," Christopher Smith of MassLive reported Friday on X."(He) will take grounders (Saturday), Alex Cora says." BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 23: Alex Bregman #2 of the Boston Red Sox takes the field ahead of game one of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on May 23, 2025 in... BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 23: Alex Bregman #2 of the Boston Red Sox takes the field ahead of game one of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on May 23, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. More Maddie Malhotra/BostonSince trading Rafael Devers, the Red Sox dropped six of their next nine games and rank 29th in MLB in batting average, OBP, and wRC+, and 28th in OPS. Boston desperately needs an injection of offensive prowess, and Bregman is exactly that. Bregman played in 51 of the Red Sox' first 52 games of the season, putting together a monster slash line of .299/.385/.553 with an OPS of .938, 11 homers, and 35 RBI. His 160 OPS+ is second only to his MVP runner-up season in 2019. In addition to his bat, Bregman's glove is just as needed in Boston. The Red Sox currently lead MLB in errors with 69, narrowly overtaking the lowly Colorado Rockies this week. Bregman ranks in the 75th percentile in fielding range, and his 1.0 OAA ties him with Marcelo Mayer for the team lead among infielders. This update is another in a line of positive ones for Boston in regard to Bregman's return. For the Red Sox, his return cannot come soon enough. More MLB: Red Sox Outfielder Reveals Timeline To (Finally) Return From Injury
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Jung Hoo Lee's slump is a symptom of the type of hitter he is — and is likely temporary
The Giants have played .500 ball over their last 73 games. The fast start was a lot of fun, but it wasn't very sustainable, as it turns out. Robbie Ray won't finish with a 20-0 record. Wilmer Flores will fall short of 150 RBIs. A lot of the magic from the first couple weeks was temporary, and that's OK. Even the most optimistic Giants fans knew there were corrections and regressions coming. Advertisement The hope, then, was that there would be enough sustainable brilliance to keep them afloat. Logan Webb would have to keep acing (check). Heliot Ramos would have to hit like 2024 first-half Heliot instead of 2024 second-half Heliot (check). And, of course, Jung Hoo Lee would have to maintain his superstar trajectory. Which he was obviously going to do. You know what happened next: Seasoned consumers of nerd stats know which column is going to get the most attention, and we'll get there. But if it's felt like Lee has been hitting like a sub-Mendoza line hitter over the last month, that's because he has been. He's been a contributor in the field and on the bases, but his slump is one of the biggest reasons the Giants are struggling to score runs. It might be the biggest reason. There's no sense saving his low batting average on balls in play (BABIP) as some sort of twist for the end of the article. It's a part of the story, and it might actually be the entire story. Blaming BABIP is the sabermetric equivalent of entering a baking soda volcano into a science fair, so get your third-place ribbons ready, but sometimes it's the obvious answer because it's the correct one. Lee has had two consecutive months where he didn't get nearly as many hits as expected. And that's just comparing Lee to the average player. A player with his speed should have a resting BABIP a little higher than the league average (.291). Hitting the ball and running fast is a time-honored baseball strategy, and it shows up in the BABIPs of faster players. Lee's BABIP right now would only make sense if he ran like a Molina brother carrying another Molina brother. Everything we know about batting average and balls in play suggests this is just a hiccup. The hits will start falling, and the world will make sense again. The good news is that Lee isn't the kind of hitter who will hit like this for very long. The bad news is that he's exactly the kind of hitter who will have long stretches like this at some point. If the question is 'Is Lee as good as he was in April, or is he as bad as he's been in June?', the answer is 'yes.' He's both. Call it the Juan Pierre Paradox or the Steven Kwan Conundrum: High-contact, low-power players will forever be terrorized by the BABIPdook. They live by the ball in play, and they die by the ball in play. Advertisement In the first month of the season, Lee sprayed balls over the short Yankee Stadium porch and led the league in doubles, suggesting above-average power that was both welcome and unexpected. A player with Lee's skill set and 25-homer power is the type of player who gets MVP votes at the end of the season. It feels safe to put that dream to rest, though. He's almost certainly a known quantity now, a member of the predictably unpredictable group of high-contact, low-power players. This both is and isn't the kind of hitter you should expect from now on. By law, I'm required to mention Steven Kwan several more times in an article like this. Some counties require Luis Arráez references, too. That's because they're exactly the kind of hitters Lee should be compared to. They're the obvious comps because they're the correct ones. When you go to Lee's Baseball Savant page, you'll see a lot of blue (bad) and red (good). It's the exact same profile that you'll find on Kwan's page and Arráez's. Lots of squared-up contact, without any exciting exit velocities. Is Kwan the kind of player who will hit .374/.436/.582 for a month, or is he the kind of player who will hit .207/.313/.297 for a month? The answer is yes. He's both, with those numbers representing his slash lines from last June and August, respectively. Month-by-month splits for Arráez will make you just as seasick. These guys are either the greatest hitters in the world or the worst hitters in the league for long stretches at a time. That's the kind of player you should expect Lee to be, and you'll have no warning which version is going to show up in any given month. Some hitters with this profile will have entire seasons that go in just one direction, making it seem like they've hit some sort of sustainable high or ominous low for their career. They'll almost invariably return to their predictably unpredictable ways the next season. Lee might make an entire season out of Aprils one of these years, but he'll always be the kind of hitter with a June lurking around the corner. The reverse is also true, for better or worse. They're maddening players, these high-contact, low-power types. But it's so fun when it works. The good news is that Lee's defensive profile and baserunning make him a helpful player, even when he's not doing much at the plate. His slumps are costing his team runs, but he's finding them in other places. Compare that to Arráez, who's worth just 0.2 WAR while hitting .288/.317/.397 for the Padres this year. He can't hit like a regular schmoe and still help his team win. Lee can, which is more than a minor consolation prize. Advertisement If there's a red flag in Lee's profile, it's that he's been consistently weaker against fastballs in his career, which might help explain why he's done less damage on pitches down the middle than the average hitter. That's bad news, considering they aren't making fastballs any slower these days. If Lee has to cheat to catch up with velocity, it'll expose him to breaking balls and make him take ugly swings. That's less of a hypothetical and more of a description of his last two months at the plate. It's possible that he'll adjust as he gets more exposure to MLB fastballs, or that he'll never adjust, and his struggles with velocity will always keep him from the highest highs of players like Kwan or Arráez. If he can't do more damage on fastballs, he'll start to get a 'poor man's' label slapped on before the comparisons. He might be in the same genre of player, but we don't know if he's at their level yet. In the meantime, rest assured. The hits will start falling in for Jung Hoo Lee any day now. Aaaaaaaaany day now. It'll be fun while it lasts, but never forget that the BABIPdook is always hiding under the bed. That's the uncomfortable bargain these kinds of hitters have made.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
BetMGM Bonus Code NW150: Get $150 Extended Bonus for MLB, UFC 317
The BetMGM bonus code NW150 is for MLB, UFC 317, soccer and more this weekend, giving new users a $150 bonus. The BetMGM bonus code NW150 is for MLB, UFC 317, soccer and more this weekend, giving new users a $150 bonus. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Step into the action with BetMGM bonus code NW150 and start with one of two sign-up bonuses. New players who take advantage of this opportunity in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia will have the chance to secure $150 in bonuses. Place a $10 winning wager to unlock this bonus. Players in other states can start with a $1,500 first bet. Either way, the top available offer can be claimed here. The summer is typically viewed as a slower time for sports, but that is not the case this weekend. We have a full slate of MLB and WNBA games throughout the weekend. Not to mention, UFC 317 is an option for sports fans on Saturday night. BetMGM Sportsbook has a variety of ways for sports fans to get in on the action. Take a deeper dive below into the details of these exclusive offers. BetMGM Bonus Code NW150: Win $150 Promo There are two distinct offers on the table for first-time players on BetMGM Sportsbook. Remember, anyone who activates this promo in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania or West Virginia can secure a potential bonus. All it takes is a $10 winning wager to secure the $150 bonus. Some players will have access to the $1,500 first bet instead. BetMGM Sportsbook will cover any losses on this initial wager up to $1,500. For instance, someone who misses on a $500 first bet will receive five $100 bonus bets. It's important to note that these promos are both flexible. Players can apply either offer to MLB, WNBA, UFC 317 and a wide range of other markets. There should be something for every sports fan this weekend. How To Redeem BetMGM Bonus Code NW150 Creating a new account with BetMGM Sportsbook is a quick and stress-free process. New players can apply bonus code NW150 to qualify for either offer. Simply fill out the required information sections to set up a secure profile. Using any of the secure and available payment methods, make a cash deposit of $10 or more. Players in select states can use a $10 bet on any game. If that bet wins, these players will secure the $150 bonus (MI, NJ, PA and WV only). Other new users will have access to the $1,500 first bet. Other Ways to Bet This Weekend These sign-up bonuses are the perfect starting point for new players, but there are tons of additional ways to bet on the games with BetMGM Sportsbook. Grab a Friday night no-sweat token for any sport. Players who lose on a no-sweat bet will be eligible for bonuses. There are also boost tokens available for WNBA games and MLB home run prop bets. We recommend keeping an eye on the different options for players in the BetMGM Sportsbook app. Between the UFC, MLB, WNBA and Jake Paul fight, there should be something for every sports fan. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
