Baseball player Wander Franco, shortstop for the Tampa Bay Rays in Major League Baseball, was arrested in the province of San Juan, Dominican Republic, after being involved in a fight whose motives are under investigation. Franco, 23 years old, was arrested along with others, including a woman, with whom he is presumed to have spent time just before the altercation at a restaurant.
The apparent motive for the fight is passionate. Authorities are evaluating whether to take coercive measures against those detained. This is not the only legal problem Franco is facing, as a trial is scheduled to begin on December 12 for charges of sexual abuse against a teenager with whom he allegedly had relations since she was 14 years old, presumably with the mother's consent.
As a consequence of these allegations, Wander Franco did not play the Major League season with the Rays in 2021, as he was placed on administrative leave in June and stopped receiving his two million dollar salary. If found guilty, the athlete and the young woman's mother could face sentences ranging from 10 to 15 years in prison.
Franco made his Major League debut in 2021 and stands out with a batting average of .282 over three seasons. Additionally, he has achieved 292 hits, including 30 home runs, 61 doubles, and 14 triples, driving in 130 runs and scoring 164 in 1,037 at-bats.
