Tampa Bay Rays Shortstop Wander Franco Not Found By Authorities in Dominican Republic

Wander Franco was accused of having a relationship with a minor in August, and the Tampa Bay Rays shortstop appears to be evading the law in Santo Domingo.

The Santo Domingo Prosecutor's Office for Children and Adolescents conducted two home raids in search of Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco on Tuesday, but he was not found, according to a report from Listin Diario.

Per the report, police showed up at Franco's mother's house in the afternoon before heading to his own property in Villa Real. The 22-year-old ballplayer was not at either residence.

Officials in the Dominican Republic are searching for Franco due to his alleged relationship with an underaged girl in his home country. MLB is currently conducting its own investigation into the matter.

Franco has been tied up in the ongoing legal saga since the accusations initially surfaced on social media in August. The Rays immediately placed him on the restricted list, and he was placed on administrative leave a week later.

Tampa Bay brought Franco back onto their 40-man roster in November, but only because administrative leave is only applicable during the season. There had already been heavy speculation that Franco would never play in the big leagues again, and that was long before Tuesday's latest update.

Franco placed third in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2021, and he made his first All-Star Game in 2023. In 112 appearances this past season, Franco hit .281 with 17 home runs, 58 RBI, 30 stolen bases, an .819 OPS and a team-high 5.5 WAR.

The shortstop signed an 11-year, $182 million extension with the Rays in November 2021 – by far the largest contract in franchise history.

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