Investigators in the Dominican Republic are looking into a second formal complaint that Rays shortstop Wander Franco was involved in a relationship with a minor, according to a report from ESPN, citing sources.
Three girls have accused the 22-year-old Franco of having relationships with them as minors, and two formal complaints have been filed, the first of which came on July 17.
The Dominican Republic’s specialized prosecutor’s office for boys, girls and adolescents has been looking into the allegations and spoke with two girls already.
Now, a second girl has told prosecutors that she had a relationship with Franco while she was a minor. Authorities have not spoken to the third girl, but are investigating the relationship she allegedly had with him, ESPN reported.
The specialized prosecutor’s office for boys, girls and adolescents, which investigates crimes committed against children, is hoping to speak with Franco in the coming weeks. Sources told ESPN that the investigation in the Dominican Republic is expected to continue beyond the end of the 2023 regular season.
Franco has been on paid administrative leave since Aug. 22 and last played on Aug. 12, a day before social media posts claimed he had an inappropriate relationship with someone under the age of 18. MLB began to investigate almost immediately, and Franco was quickly put on the restricted list.
Franco has not commented on the investigation, but on an Instagram Live stream from the Rays’ clubhouse before their game on Aug. 13, he appeared to deny the allegations.
“They say that I’m in public with a little girl, that I’m running around with a minor,” Franco said in Spanish on the social media video. “People don’t know what to do with their time. They don’t know what they’re talking about.
“That’s why I prefer to be on my side and not get involved with anybody … because people gossip and talk smack.”
The Rays have since wiped away any trace of Franco inside Tropicana Field, and commercials featuring the team have edited out highlights of the shortstop.
Per the ESPN report, MLB, the MLB Players Association and Franco’s U.S. lawyer, Jay Reisinger, all declined to comment.