Fact Check: Did Wander Franco marry his wife Rachelly Paulino when she was a teenager? Old social media posts uncovered

On Aug. 13, a bombshell report surfaced regarding Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco. The 22-year-old star stood accused of being in a relationship with Loredana Chevalier, who claimed to be a 14-year-old girl.

Immediately, the Rays placed Franco on the restricted list as an MLB investigation was announced. Overnight, the future of one of baseball's brightest rising stars was thrown into doubt.

Franco, a native of the central Dominican city of Bani, has been with the Rays since 2021. At the time these accusations surfaced against him, Wander Franco was hitting .281/.344/.475 with 17 home runs and 58 RBIs. Additionally, Franco made his first MLB All-Star game this season.

"Supposed images that prove the relationship of the baseball player Wander Franco with a minor." - ALERTAS MUNDIAL

Photos soon surfaced of the Tampa Bay Rays star with a young girl. It did not take long for observers to figure that the worst was coming. One Dominican news personality even claimed that Franco is unlikely to ever play in MLB again.

However, after some digging was done on the supposed account of the woman in question, further questions arose. Chevalier, who claims to be 14, has posted multiple images of herself drinking, driving, and caring for a child. The minimum legal age in the Dominican Republic to drink and drive is 18.

Further sleuthing from the Daily Mail on Aug. 18 revealed that Wander Franco actually has a wife named Rachelly Paulino. The two are apparently high school sweethearts, and have two children together.

Paulino was born on September 10, 2001, and according to the report published by Daily Mail, the duo tied the knot after the 2021 season, meaning that Franco's wife was 20, not a teenager, at the time of their marriage.

Images of Franco's mother, Nancy Aybar, referring to Paulino as her "daughter-in-law" has been a major development in the story. She used the phrase in a Facebook post on Paulino's 15th birthday on September 10, 2016. Nancy, Wander's mother, is the sister of former Los Angeles Angels player Eric Aybar.

"Wander Franco’s wife revealed for first time amid allegations of improper relationship with underage women" - NYPorch Sports

Following the initial reports, the baseball world was split. Some were quick to condemn Franco, while others urged patience and reiterated that Franco was innocent until proven guilty. Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz was among those to reach out to Franco in the immediate aftermath.

Wander Franco saga seems to have no end

In less than a week, the general tone of this case has shifted dramatically. After being castigated at the beginning, fault lines in the accuser's story have led many to take Franco's side. Either way, we will have to wait until the respective investigations into the matter conclude before passing any true judgment.