Tampa Bay Rays' Wander Franco Not Expected to Play Any Time Soon, Per New Report

Tampa Bay Rays superstar Wander Franco is expected to remain off the field as investigations continue into his alleged inappropriate relationship with a minor.
Tampa Bay Rays' Wander Franco Not Expected to Play Any Time Soon, Per New Report
Tampa Bay Rays' Wander Franco Not Expected to Play Any Time Soon, Per New Report /
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Last week, a report surfaced that said that Tampa Bay Rays superstar Wander Franco may never play Major League Baseball again. 

A new report from Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times doesn't go that far, but it does indicate that Franco isn't expected to hit the field any time soon.

The following update, based on the report, comes from the Rotowire fantasy baseball portal:

Franco is expected to remain on the restricted list or shifted to administrative leave as Major League Baseball continues its investigation into the player's alleged inappropriate relationship with a minor, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

ANALYSIS
Franco's placement on the restricted list last week was administered by the team, whereas a switch to administrative leave would be done by the league as part of the MLB/players union's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. The player's return doesn't appear imminent in either scenario, as the investigation into Franco both by MLB and by authorities in his native Dominican Republic remains ongoing, with no decisions in sight.

Placement on administrative leave would not count against Franco's service time or his salary.

One of the best young players in baseball, Franco is hitting .281 this year with 17 homers, 58 RBI and 30 stolen bases. He made his first All-Star Game this season and is a major reason why the Rays have been one of the best teams in baseball this year.

The Rays have already lost three top starting pitchers this season to injury, and without Franco, they've now lost their offensive catalyst as well.

The Rays currently trail the Baltimore Orioles by 3.0 games in the American League East.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady.