Wander Franco Update: Rays shortstop released from prison after paying financial guarantee amounting to $35,000

After months of silence regarding the investigation into Wander Franco, the case against the Tampa Bay Rays shortstop seems to be moving forward at speed. He was recently allowed to leave prison in the town of Puerto Plata after paying a hefty sum.

On Aug. 13, reports surfaced that a woman in the Dominican Republic, who claimed to be 14, also claimed to be in a relationship with Franco. Immediately, the 22-year-old was placed on the restricted list by the Rays.

After months of silence while the MLB and Dominican authorities investigated, it all began to move very quickly. Following an apparent raid at a home belonging to Franco, he was detained in Puerto Plata on Jan. 2, and was charged with sexual exploitation of a minor alongside money laundering.

The Tampa Bay Rays star was released from prison in Puerto Plata following a payment of 2 million pesos, which is about $34,800. Franco still faces the aforementioned charges, as does the mother of the young woman involved in the case,

At the time that the scandal broke, Franco was hitting .281/.344/.475 with 17 home runs and 58 RBIs. However, he has not appeared in as much as an inning since the accusations were levied. Franco's last MLB game was on Aug. 12 against the Cleveland Guardians.

In 2021, Wander Franco signed an 11-year contract worth $182 million, which was the largest deal in the history of the Rays' franchise. However, with the young star still very much imbued in the case, his MLB career lies in the balance.