Family has Rays’ Wander Franco detained, admitted to clinic

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Suspended Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who was found guilty earlier this year of sexually abusing a minor, was detained by police on Tuesday and admitted into a clinic in the Dominican Republic for mental health issues, according to authorities.

The request to have him detained and admitted came from his family, police spokesman Col. Diego Pesqueira told The Associated Press. He noted that Franco’s admittance into a private clinic in his hometown of Baní is not linked to any legal issues.

Last weekend, the 24-year-old player took to social media to denounce that $16,000 had supposedly been stolen from a resort where he was staying.

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His attorney, Teodosio Jáquez, later said there was confusion over the incident and that the money was found. Franco, however, rejected his attorney’s remarks and insisted the money had been stolen.

In June, Franco was convicted of sexually abusing a minor and was given a two-year suspended sentence.

He had been arrested in 2024 after being accused of having a four-month relationship with a girl who was 14 at the time, and of transferring thousands of dollars to her mother to consent to the illegal relationship.

Franco’s future in the MLB is unknown, although he has said he is still training.

In November 2021, Franco signed an 11-year, $182 million contract, but his career was abruptly interrupted in August 2023, when Dominican authorities announced they were investigating him.

Franco was arrested again in November last year following what Dominican authorities called an altercation over a woman’s attention. He was charged with illegally carrying a semiautomatic Glock 19 that police said was registered to his uncle.

That case is still pending in court.

Six months after his arrest in 2024, Tampa Bay placed him on the restricted list, which cut off the pay he had been receiving while on administrative leave.

He was placed on that list because he didn’t report to the team and would need a new U.S. visa to do so.