After nearly two years, the Wander Franco saga appears to have reached an end. At least the legal process has come to a close. Franco was found guilty on Thursday by a three-person panel (Dominican courts do not use a jury) on charges of sexual abuse against a minor. ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Juan Arturo Ricio report that Franco has been given a suspended sentence — he will need to maintain certain requirements set forth by the court; otherwise, he will report to prison to serve his full two-year term. Franco was in the midst of a breakout season with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023. The 22-year-old had just appeared in his first All-Star Game and was batting .281/.344/.475 (125 OPS+). He already had 23 doubles, 17 home runs and 30 stolen bases with six weeks left in the season. Franco was climbing to the top of the baseball world. Then everything changed in July. Allegations first surfaced via social media that Franco was involved in a relationship with an underage girl in his native Dominican Republic. ThingsRead More
Wander Franco found guilty of sexual abuse against a minor
