Wander Franco is a shortstop for the Tampa Bay Rays who is currently under scrutiny following allegations of being engaged in an inappropriate relationship, find out who is his wife
Following the allegations, Franco was absent on Sunday’s game against Cleveland, Franco was conspicuously absent from play during the team’s 9-2 loss.
Who is the wife of Wander Franco, his family and children as his social media Instagram messages and video go viral on Twitter
From Wander Franco’s IG Live :
“They say that I’m in public with a little girl, that I’m running around with a minor. 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 & not get involved with anybody.” pic.twitter.com/DEtsHCrbQW
— Jay Recher (@jayRecher) August 14, 2023
Tampa Bay shortstop Wander Franco is finished man.
Here is the 14 year old kid wearing Tampa merch, also in saying: "the one with a baseball player"
Also in the chat messages someone is alleging he won’t travel back to DR till she gets 18.
MAN THAT GUY NEEDS JAIL ASAP. 💔💔 pic.twitter.com/869cXmMdCK
— ADHD (@ADHDGoat) August 14, 2023
The Tampa Bay Rays have also recently come out to acknowledge the investigations conducted by Major League Baseball (MLB) on Franco.
Wander Franco brief bio
Wander Samuel Franco Aybar Sr. is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop who was born on 1 March, 2001, in Baní, Dominican Republic. He currently plays for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball. He is nicknamed as “El Patron” and plays as a Ambidextrous
made his MLB debut in 2021.
Age and height
Wander Franco is currently 22 years old and stands at a height of 1.78 m.
Wander Franco career
Hailing from the Dominican Republic, Franco’s baseball journey began at a young age when he left school in sixth grade to pursue the sport. He signed with the Rays at the age of 16.
A report from April 2022 in the Tampa Bay Times revealed Franco’s marriage and impending fatherhood, as his wife awaited the arrival of their second child – a son. Franco already has a tattoo dedicated to his first son on his left arm, as per ESPN.
Wander Franco wife and children
After being in a long-term relationship with his girlfriend, Wander Franco tied the knot in 2021. There is hardly any information available about her as the family prefers to keep their lives private. The couple currently has two sons, their first child, Samuel Franco Jr, was born in late 2018. Their second son was born in 2022.
Wander Franco facing allegations
As of now, the Tampa Bay Rays have not revealed the exact details of the social media posts accusing Franco of being involved in an inappropriate relationship with a minor. According to reports, the now deleted posts about Franco were first posted on X on Sunday, August 13. The MLB are now looking into the posts and allegations following the events.
During the recent game on Sunday, Franco was present in the dugout initially but eventually left during the fifth inning. Interestingly, the 22-year-old Dominican did not accompany the team on their flight to San Francisco for the upcoming series against the Giants on Monday night. After the game on Sunday, reporters asked Rays manager Kevin Cash about Franco’s absence to which Cash clarified:
I’m aware of the speculation, and I’m not going to comment any further on that. The day off was because [it was] a day off.”
Franco is currently on an 11-year, $182 million contract with the Rays, which he signed in November 2021. The deal also includes a team option for 2033, which has the potential to be valued at $223 million.
Wander Franco parents and siblings
Wander Franco was born to parents Wander and Nancy Aybar who currently reside in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. His father was also a former baseball player who played in minor league baseball during the 1990s. Meanwhile, his mother, Nancy, hails from Peraviam, and comes from a family of Major League Baseball players as both of her siblings Erick Aybar and Willy Aybar, played in the MLB.
Wander Franco has two older brothers named Wander Alexander Franco and Wander Javier Franco, and a sister. Both Alexander and Javier played in the MLB for the Houston Astros and San Francisco Giants respectively. Alexander Franco registered a career record of a .275 batting average, with 30 home runs. He played for seven different teams, and became a free agent in 2018. Meanwhile, his other brother Javier Franco, had a career batting average of .250, 29 home runs, and 176 RBI. He began his professional career in 2014 with the DSL Astros Blue. Javier most notably excelled in the Minor Leagues with a .298 batting average. He also won the prestigious ALL-Star Award back in 2018.
Wander Franco net worth and salary
According to various sources, Wander Franco has an estimated net worth of around $5 million in 2023. Last year, Franco earned a base salary of $1 million, and received an additional signing bonus worth $5 million. As such, he earned around $6 million in total. The Baní native signed an 11-year contract extension with the Tampa Bay Rays on November 23, 2021 worth $182 million. The contract also came with a signing bonus worth $5 million. Following this contract, Franco earns an average annual salary of $16,545,455. He will reportedly earn around $2 million this year following which it will rise annually, receiving a guaranteed $182M payout in 11 years.