Tampa Bay Rays' Wander Franco Arrested Amid Investigation into Alleged Relationships with Minors

Franco, on administrative leave from MLB, could face severe consequences if found guilty, including potential contract voiding by the Rays

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been arrested in the Dominican Republic for allegedly not complying with a summons to meet with law enforcement. He is under investigation for possible sexual relations with women under the age of 18, which is the Dominican Republic’s age of consent.
Franco, one of baseball’s rising stars, was signed to an 11-year, $182 million contract in 2021. MLB placed Franco on administrative leave under the MLB-MLBPA Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy in August of last year, when he faced and denied the allegations.
Franco is ineligible to play while on leave. However, he’s still paid and accrues service time, consistent with the idea that he has not been found at fault and might eventually be cleared. If MLB finds insufficient grounds to punish him, the league will reinstate Franco.
MLB has substantial discretion in determining whether a player engaged in domestic violence, sexual assault or child abuse. A criminal charge, let alone a conviction, is not a prerequisite. The same is true of an administrative agency action, a lawsuit or other legal developments that might help to legitimize an MLB suspension.
The Rays also have a major stake in the outcome of MLB’s investigation, given that Franco is a young star but is linked to very troubling allegations. It’s possible the team could attempt to void Franco’s contract at some point, but doing so would be a difficult task.