Rays’ Stride Franco Placed on Restricted Checklist Amid MLB Probe into Social Media Posts

The Tampa Bay Rays positioned shortstop Stride Franco on the restricted checklist Monday amid an MLB investigation into social media posts appealing him from Sunday, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

The group launched a statement that mentioned, “The Tampa Bay Rays and Stride Franco gain mutually agreed that he’ll scuttle on the Restricted Checklist and rob scuttle a long way from the Club for the duration of basically the most modern toll road day out.”

In step with TMZ, “social media posts emerged over the weekend that allegedly confirmed [Franco] in an inferior relationship with a minor.”

Franco did no longer play in Sunday’s 9-2 loss in opposition to the Cleveland Guardians, and Passan reported that he did now not scramble with the group to San Francisco for the Rays’ assortment in opposition to the Giants. Tampa Bay supervisor Kevin Money mentioned that Franco’s absence from Sunday’s game became as soon as no longer linked to the investigation.

“I’m aware of the speculation, and I’m no longer going to comment any extra on that,” Money mentioned after Sunday’s loss. “The time without work became as soon as because [it was] a time without work.”

The Rays known as up Osleivis Basabe to begin at shortstop on Sunday in opposition to the Guardians. Per Passan, Basabe stumbled on out he’d be making his MLB debut on Saturday night for the duration of his game with Triple-A Durham.

Franco, who became as soon as chosen to his first All-Neatly-known person Sport this season, is hitting .281/.344/.457 with 17 home runs and 58 RBI. The 22-year-used signed an 11-year, $182 million contract with the Rays in November 2021, and the deal can also reach as high as $223 million if the group workout routines its option in 2033.