Tampa Bay Rays Fallen Star Enters Mental Health Facility
Convicted ex-Ray Wander Franco admitted to Dominican mental clinic.
Former Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been admitted to a mental health clinic in his hometown of Bani, Dominican Republic, after police briefly detained him at his family’s request.
ST PETERSBURG, Fla. - Wander Franco of the Tampa Bay Rays prepares to bat during the ninth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Tropicana Field on August 12, 2023. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Authorities described it as a health-related intervention and mentioned that no new charges are involved. Franco displayed erratic behavior in footage that surfaced on social media, and he remains under evaluation.
In the footage that appeared on Franco's Instagram Live, authorities in Bani were seen seizing and arresting the former MLB All-Star.
His mental episode follows his June 2025 conviction in Santo Domingo.
Wander Franco against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on August 6, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
A Dominican court found Franco guilty of sexually abusing a minor and imposed a two-year suspended sentence, allowing him to avoid prison but placing him under strict restrictions.
The proceedings also led to a separate conviction for the girl’s mother, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison and had assets seized as part of the case.
Still, Franco’s legal problems have extended beyond the abuse charges.
In November 2024, prosecutors filed an additional case against him for illegal possession of a firearm after police found a Glock pistol in his vehicle. His attorneys argued the weapon was registered with a family member, but the charge moved forward alongside the abuse trial.
His major scandal first broke in the summer of 2023, when allegations surfaced that Franco, then 21 and a rising All-Star, engaged in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl.
Wander Franco. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Reports at the time alleged Franco provided her and her mother with large sums of money and other luxury gifts.
The Rays responded by placing him on the restricted list, and Major League Baseball suspended him indefinitely under its domestic violence and sexual assault policy. He has not played since August 2023.
Although Franco signed an 11-year, $182 million contract in 2021, the combination of a conviction, suspended sentence, and additional legal cases makes a return to MLB unlikely.
Visa restrictions tied to the guilty verdict further complicate any path back to the United States.
The Rays, who released him last year, opted not to comment on the latest developments.
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