Family seeks help over concerns about Wander Franco's well-being: reports

Marc Topkin, Tampa Bay Times on Sep 9, 2025

Published in Baseball

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

TAMPA, Fla. — The father of Rays shortstop Wander Franco summoned police Tuesday morning to attend to his son due to concerns about his well-being, according to reports from the Associated Press and several Dominican Republic news organizations.

National Police spokesperson Diego Pesqueira told the Associated Press that Franco was admitted to a private clinic in his hometown of Bani for mental health issues. He was not detained because of legal issues.

Per Diario Libre, the spokesperson said help was sought “to safeguard the young man’s safety” and “asked for understanding and solidarity, and expressed that the priority at this time is the player’s recovery.”

In a radio interview Pesqueira added that Franco was medicated before being transferred to the clinic.

Franco, 24, was found guilty in June of sexual abuse of a minor as the result of a relationship with a then-14-year-old girl, and is serving a two-year suspended sentence, which is similar to probation.

Franco was in the news again recently when he posted on Instagram Friday that he was the victim of a robbery, claiming he left around $32,000 in a hotel room in Puerta Plata while training on the beach and when he returned half was gone. He also called for people “to attack” the owner of the hotel.

The next day, Franco’s attorney, Teodosio Jáquez, said it was “just a misunderstanding” and the money was recovered in the same room.

Franco, per Diario Libre, then said the lawyer’s version was “absolutely false” and that Jáquez no longer represents him.

Franco has not played for the Rays since August 2023, when word of his relationship with a minor first surfaced on social media — a month after he made his first All-Star appearance.

The guilty verdict for a crime of moral turpitude had put his career in jeopardy as legal experts say he now is unlikely to secure a visa to be able to play in the United States. If that is the case, he also would lose out on the bulk of the $182 million, 11-year contract he signed with the Rays in November 2021.

____