The Tampa Bay Rays have self-disciplined one of their all-time great talents, 22-year-old Wander Franco.
Manager Kevin Cash announced today (23 June) that Franco has been removed from the starting lineup for the Rays’ 2023 Major League Baseball game against the Kansas City Royals at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, USA.
Franco is a special talent that the team and Major League Baseball have been eyeing. After making his big league debut in the 2021 season, he made an immediate impact. His one-hit power and ability to make precise contact at the defensive position of shortstop have made him the future of the team바카라.
Franco is a highly touted prospect and has brought a lot of energy to the team, but in recent years he has turned into a ‘golden boy’ and has raised eyebrows with his teammates for his sometimes disruptive behaviour. He hasn’t always given his best effort, such as running to first base with his bat when making an infield play, and he has sometimes disagreed with strike calls and voiced his displeasure strongly. This led to an altercation with Randy Arosarena, 28.
Speaking to MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, Cash explained the reasoning behind Franco’s two-game suspension: “Franco is a really good guy. But he’s also learning the challenges and frustrations of being a big league player. The way he expressed his frustration this season was not in the best interest of the teammates around him, and there were a number of times when that happened.”
“We’re going to help Franco work through these issues. I know he’s a good player and I look forward to him returning to the team (after resolving his issues).”
According to Baseball Reference, Franco’s 3.8 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) ranks him second among all hitters, behind two-hitting star Shohei Ohtani (29-LA Angels).
The ‘golden boy’ Franco has a lot of talent, but has been causing trouble at times, and it will be interesting to see if he can reflect on his behaviour and come back to energise the team.