Rays: Wander Franco Back in Tampa Bay's Roster, But There's a Catch

The MLB season may now be over, but the Tampa Bay Rays are raising eyebrows as the team reinstates controversial shortstop Wander Franco to the roster amid his scandal.

According to ESPN, the Tampa Bay Rays moved Wander Franco back to its 40-man roster on Thursday. The controversial Dominican shortstop has been on paid administrative leave since August 22 as the MLB continues its investigation into him being with a minor.

Aside from MLB's investigation into his alleged pedophilia, he is also being investigated for the same thing in his home country, the Dominican Republic.

Franco has been accused of inappropriate relationships with minor girls. He faces potential suspension under the MLB's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.

Over in the Dominican Republic, at least two complaints have reportedly been filed against him, with the National Agency for Boys, Girls, Adolescents and Family and Gender Violence Unit doing an investigation.

Wander Franco Status Still Unchanged So Far as MLB Continues Its Investigation

An MLB official has confirmed to the Tampa Bay Times that their investigation into Wander Franco is still ongoing and if his status is still not yet resolved by the time spring training begins, he could be placed back on administrative leave.

So far, there are still no updates on both investigations. There also is no timetable issued for when they will conclude. This means that for now, Franco is still on indefinite leave while the Rays ponder his future amid the pedophilia scandal.

It was pointed out that being placed on administrative leave only happens during the MLB season. Now that the World Series has concluded, with the Texas Rangers beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-1, Franco was placed back on the roster for now.

His return to the roster means that the Tampa Bay Rays are facing a roster crunch as they must now use a roster spot for him throughout the offseason. Things get more complicated as Taylor Walls, Franco's replacement at shortstop, recently underwent right hip surgery and might not be ready for opening day. This means that they would have to make a few changes should both players not be available for the opener on March 28 next year.

Wander Franco May Not Play in the MLB Again Amid Scandal

The Wander Franco scandal has rocked the MLB and the Dominican Republic, with the scandal stealing some of the limelight away from the other things happening around the league, including the Playoffs and the World Series.

When the scandal first erupted, a source familiar with the situation told MLB insider Hector Gomez, "It will be very unlikely that Wander Franco will play in MLB again, judging by the results of the investigations that are currently being carried out, which directly commit him to the accusations against him."

According to Bleacher Report, Judge Olga Dina Llaverias, a child abuse specialist in the Dominican Republic, is working on the case and this might spell even more bad news for Wander Franco.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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