Wander Franco Admitted to Dominican Clinic for Mental Health Issues at Family's Request
Suspended Tampa Bay Rays shortstop, convicted in June of sexually abusing a minor, was detained by police and taken to a private clinic in his hometown of Baní, authorities say.
Suspended Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco was detained by police Tuesday and admitted to a private clinic in the Dominican Republic for mental health treatment at the request of his family, authorities said. Police spokesman Col. Diego Pesqueira told The Associated Press the move was a family request and is not linked to any legal matters.
The 24-year-old, who was convicted in June of sexually abusing a minor and received a two-year suspended sentence, drew further attention last weekend when he posted on social media alleging that about $16,000 had been stolen from a resort where he was staying. His attorney, Teodosio Jáquez, later said there was confusion and that the money had been found; Franco publicly disputed that account and continued to insist the funds were stolen.
Franco was arrested in 2024 after Dominican authorities accused him of having a four-month relationship with a girl who was 14 at the time and of transferring thousands of dollars to the girl's mother to obtain consent for the illegal relationship. Prosecutors pursued that case through 2025; in June a court found Franco guilty and issued the suspended sentence.
His legal troubles date back further. Dominican authorities announced an investigation into Franco in August 2023, abruptly interrupting a career that had ascended rapidly after the Tampa Bay Rays signed him to an 11-year, $182 million contract in November 2021. In November 2024, Franco was arrested again after what authorities described as an altercation over a woman’s attention; he was charged with illegally carrying a semiautomatic Glock 19 that police said was registered to his uncle. That firearm case remains pending in Dominican courts.
Six months after his 2024 arrest, the Rays placed Franco on the restricted list, a move that cut off his pay while he remained on administrative leave. Team officials said at the time he had not reported to the club and would need a new U.S. visa to return. Franco has said he continues to train, but his return to Major League Baseball remains uncertain while legal matters are unresolved and he remains outside the team’s active roster.
Police and clinic officials in Baní offered limited public detail about Franco’s condition or the nature of his treatment, citing privacy and the family’s request. Authorities emphasized that the admittance to the private clinic was separate from ongoing judicial proceedings and was carried out at the behest of relatives.
Franco’s detention and admission to a mental health facility come amid a prolonged period of personal and legal turmoil that has included multiple arrests, a criminal conviction, and the suspension from his major league team. Dominican police said they were acting on the family's request and provided no indication of new criminal charges related to the clinic admission. Tampa Bay Rays officials did not immediately comment on Franco’s hospitalization.
The situation leaves the once-promising shortstop in a precarious position professionally and legally. Franco’s conviction, pending court cases and immigration requirements have all factored into his absence from the major league roster since 2023. Authorities in the Dominican Republic and representatives for Franco have provided periodic updates, and the player’s family now has asked for medical intervention that officials say is not part of the criminal process.