Rays’ Wander Franco arrested in DR over incident in which ‘guns were drawn’

Police in the Dominican Republic have arrested Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco after an altercation involving firearms.

ESPN reported this that authorities detained Franco and an unnamed woman for questioning on Monday following an incident in an apartment complex parking lot on Sunday “in which guns were drawn.”

Franco, 23, is already on indefinite administrative leave from Major League Baseball as he awaits trial on charges involving sexual abuse of a minor. Under his bail agreement on the sexual abuse charge, Franco is not allowed to leave the Dominican Republic, but is allowed to travel within the country ahead of his trial on December 12.

Franco was in the middle of an All-Star season when he was placed on administrative leave in August 2023 amid allegations that he had a sexual relationship with a then-14-year-old girl. He hasn’t played for the Rays since. According to reports, Franco faces up to 20 years in prison on charges of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of a minor and human trafficking.

Franco signed an 11-year, $182 million contract extension with the Rays in November 2021, just 70 games into his major league career. He hit .282 with 30 home runs, 130 RBIs and 40 stolen bases in 265 games from 2021-2023.