A new wrinkle has unraveled for Wander Franco in the ongoing investigation around his alleged relationship with a 14-year-old girl.
According to ESPN, prosecutors in the Dominican Republic claim that the Rays shortstop sent a message to the teenage girl on WhatsApp just as their months-long relationship was uncovered.
“My girl,” Franco allegedly wrote in Spanish. “If my team realizes this, it could cause problems for me. It is a rule for all teams that we cannot talk to minors, and yet I took the risk and I loved it.”
Franco, 22, was arrested on New Year’s Day for not showing up in court to answer questions from a governmental child welfare unit in the Dominican Republic.
He is accused of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering, as the prosecutors allege Franco made a payment to the teenage girl’s mother to keep the relationship quiet.
He was later released from jail on Jan. 8, paying 2 million Dominican pesos ($34,000) as a deposit required by the judge, who ordered his conditional release.
Franco could face up to 20 years in prison and his young career in the MLB is on thin ice.
In the nearly 600-page document presented to the judge at a hearing this month, prosecutors have given the evidence found in the investigation, which started after a formal complaint was filed on July 10, 2023.
The document was obtained by ESPN, in which Franco’s U.S.-based lawyer, Jay Reisinger, addresses the texts presented in the file, including the WhatsApp message about breaking Tampa Bay’s rules.
“There are serious questions regarding the authenticity of particular documents and references contained in the prosecutor’s confidential file, which was inappropriately disclosed to certain media outlets,” Reisinger said in a statement to ESPN. “We are in consultation with Mr. Franco’s legal counsel in the Dominican Republic, and we intend to take the necessary legal measures in response.”
The MLB placed Franco on a restricted list on Aug. 14 before placing him on administrative leave on Aug. 22. The league’s own investigation is ongoing as well.
He signed a franchise-record $182 million, 11-year contract in 2021.
In the 2023 season, he held a slash line of .281/.344/.475, along with 17 home runs and 58 RBIs across 112 games.
