Wander Franco’s future uncertain after 2-year prison sentence in sexual abuse case

Suspended Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco's MLB future is in the dark after a court in the Dominican Republic found him guilty of sexual abuse of a minor on Thursday.

Franco received a two-year suspended prison sentence, and he won't have to serve any time if he fulfills the conditions set by the judge; not approach minors with sexual intentions.

The shortstop signed an 11-year, $182 million contract with the Rays in 2021, but his return to the major league remains uncertain. According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, it will be difficult for Franco to get a visa to work in the United States after his suspended prison sentence.

In addition to the verdict in the Dominican Republic, the MLB, which placed Franco on the restricted list last year, will continue its investigation and could take disciplinary action over the league's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.

"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,” MLB said in a statement. “We are aware of today's verdict in the Wander Franco trial and will conclude our investigation at the appropriate time.”

Rays could void Wander Franco's contract after verdict in sexual abuse case

Apart from Wander Franco, the victim's mother, Martha Vanessa Chevalier Almonte, was issued a 10-year prison sentence after being convicted of sexually trafficking her daughter.

Franco was placed on administrative leave in 2023 and has not played for the Tampa Bay Rays since August that year after a social media post accused him of a relationship with a 14-year-old girl.

The Rays issued a statement on Thursday:

"We respect the legal process in the Dominican Republic and believe it is important to allow it to run its course. We will continue to fully cooperate with Major League Baseball as it monitors the situation. Out of respect for everyone involved, we will not be providing any further comment at this time.”

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Rays could void the remaining $133 million on Franco's contract in the wake of the verdict on Thursday.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

Know More

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash