WANDER FRANCO NEWS

'Favorable' outlook after MRI Manager Kevin Cash said Franco's MRI results on his sore right quadriceps were "favorable," and the shortstop could be ready to play in the season opener against Detroit on Thursda...

Impact The 22-year-old won't play in Tampa Bay's final exhibition game Monday and will prioritize rest and treatment over the next few days. Even if Franco isn't cleared for Opening Day on Thursday, at this point it doesn't appear he'll require a trip to the injured list to begin the campaign.

MARCH 26, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Report: Rays SS Wander Franco (quad) to have MRI Rays shortstop Wander Franco will have an MRI on his injured right quad Sunday, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

MARCH 26, 2023 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Report: Rays SS Wander Franco (quad) to have MRI Rays shortstop Wander Franco will have an MRI on his injured right quad Sunday, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

MARCH 26, 2023 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM

Undergoing MRI Franco (quadriceps) is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Sunday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact Franco was scratched from the lineup before Saturday's Grapefruit League contest against Boston with right quadriceps tightness. The infielder's absence was deemed precautionary, but Tampa Bay will have the 22-year-old undergo further imaging to ascertain whether he's dealing with any structural damage. If Franco is forced to miss time to begin the season, Taylor Walls would likely see the majority of reps at shortstop in his absence.

MARCH 26, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Rays' Wander Franco sidelined by quad soreness, status unclear ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Shortstop Wander Franco was scratched from the lineup for Saturday’s exhibition game due to right quad soreness, and...

MARCH 25, 2023 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Scratched with sore quad Franco was scratched from the lineup for Saturday's game against Boston due to right quadriceps soreness, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact Franco was listed as the designated hitter but didn't come up to the plate for his first at-bat. The Rays are calling his removal precautionary, so Opening Day still seems to be in play, but the young shortstop's history of quad problems make the issue more worrisome than it might otherwise be. A strained right quadriceps cost him nearly a month in 2022, and he had a pair of brief absences earlier that year due to minor issues with the same muscle.

MARCH 25, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Replaced before first at-bat Franco was listed as the Rays' designated hitter Saturday against the Red Sox and was expected to bat second but was replaced prior to his first at-bat of the game, Marc Topkin of...

Impact The reason for the change of plans is not yet clear, but it's possible Franco is dealing with some sort of injury. He hasn't looked as though he's playing hurt this spring, slashing .263/.364/.526 through nine games.

MARCH 25, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

MLB 26-and-under power rankings: No. 8 Tampa Bay Rays

The whole Rays operation relies heavily on a constant influx of young talent. So it's no surprise that Tampa Bay ranks quite highly on our y...

MARCH 16, 2023

Entering 2023 full healthy Franco entered spring training fully healthy, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.

Impact Franco was limited to only 344 plate appearances in 2022 due to a combination of quadriceps and wrist injuries. Frustrated by being sidelined, Franco focused his offseason work on durability with the goal being to remain in the lineup more regularly. While he had a disappointing 2022 campaign, Franco still managed six home runs, eight stolen bases and a .745 OPS in the partial year.

MARCH 16, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

AL East fantasy beat writer roundtable: Wander Franco's value, Orioles prospects Some high-impact prospects could get playing time sooner than expected in the AL East this season.

MARCH 13, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Healthy and a year wiser, Wander ready to rock again LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- In his own words and in those of his coaches and manager, Wander Franco “learned a lot” in 2022. Coming off a terr...

FEBRUARY 17, 2023 • MLB.COM

Ranking the best 23 shortstops of 2023 in the MLB

Who are baseball's best shortstops? Ben Verlander breaks down his five tiers.

FEBRUARY 8, 2023

Jurickson Profar is MLB's best available free agent. Where could he end up?

Jurickson Profar's career has gone through peaks and valleys, but he's a good player and now MLB's best remaining free agent. Which teams co...

JANUARY 24, 2023

Wander Franco career timeline Wander Franco's career timeline

JANUARY 10, 2023 • MLB.COM

Rays thrive with Latino lineup. But is it winning new Hispanic fans? With players like Randy Arozarena, Wander Franco and Yandy Diaz, they’ve got the star power.

OCTOBER 6, 2022 • TAMPABAY.COM

Absent from Wednesday's lineup Franco isn't starting Wednesday against Boston, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact Franco has gone 3-for-5 with a solo home run, a triple, a walk and a strikeout over the last two games, and he'll be on the bench for Wednesday's regular-season finale. Taylor Walls is taking over at shortstop and batting eighth.

OCTOBER 5, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Three hits including homer in loss Franco went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and triple in Monday's loss to the Red Sox.

Impact Franco launched a leadoff homer off Rich Hill to open Monday's contest, giving the Rays an early 1-0 lead. He later added a single and a triple in the contest. The homer was his sixth of the season and first since July 2. Since returning from the 10-day injured list Sept. 9, Franco has produced a .322 average with a homer, a triple, eight doubles, 10 RBI, 12 runs and three stolen bases over 86 at-bats in 24 games.

OCTOBER 4, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Day off Sunday Franco is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Astros, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

Impact Franco started the past 12 contests and will head to the bench after he posted an .866 OPS with six doubles, four RBI and seven runs during that span. Taylor Walls will shift to shortstop while Miles Mastrobuoni stars at the keystone Sunday.

OCTOBER 2, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Swipes two bags in loss Franco went 2-for-3 with a double, a run scored and two steals in Thursday's 2-1 loss against the Guardians.

Impact Franco recorded a double off righty starter Cal Quantrill in addition to nabbing second base twice. The shortstop has recorded three steals in his last three games and has recorded one hit or more in 14 of his last 15 contests. Furthermore, the 21-year-old has tallied six doubles over his last nine games.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Steals sixth base Franco went 1-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, a walk and a stolen base in a 6-5 extra-innings win Tuesday in Cleveland.

Impact Franco doubled and scored in the third and walked, stole a base and scored in the 11th. He's 6-for-6 in stolen base attempts this season and Tuesday's steal was his first since July 5. Since returning from a wrist injury Sept. 9, he has a .324/.365/.426 slash line with only five strikeouts in 74 plate appearances.

SEPTEMBER 28, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Back in action Tuesday Franco (hand) is starting at shortstop and hitting third Tuesday against the Guardians, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

Impact As expected, Franco is back in action after jamming his left hand in Sunday's game against the Blue Jays. He is hitting .328/.362/.422 with zero home runs and zero steals in 18 games since getting activated from the injured list earlier this month.

SEPTEMBER 27, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Should play Tuesday Rays manager Kevin Cash said that the jammed left hand that caused Franco's early exit in Sunday's 7-1 loss to the Blue Jays isn't anything worrisome and isn't expected to keep the...

Impact Franco's departure came in the bottom of the eighth inning, when he was lifted from a pinch hitter after initially jamming his hand in his fifth-inning plate appearance. Cash noted that the Rays' six-run deficit was the main reason Franco was removed from the contest, and the infielder was fortunate not to aggravate the right wrist he had surgically repaired earlier this season. Before exiting, Franco went 1-for-3 with a single to extend his hitting streak to a career-long 12 games.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Nursing hand issue Franco was removed from Sunday's loss to the Blue Jays with a jammed left hand, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Impact Franco was being examined by the training staff and was flexing his left hand in the dugout prior to being lifted for a pinch hitter during the eighth inning. Manager Kevin Cash indicated the young shortstop was removed as a precautionary measure since the Rays were already trailing 6-1. Tampa Bay has a scheduled day off Monday, so Franco will have an extra day to recover ahead of Tuesday's series opener in Cleveland.

SEPTEMBER 25, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Knocks in three in win Franco went 2-for-5 with one double, three RBI and one run scored in Thursday's 10-5 win over the Blue Jays.

Impact Franco knocked in Jonathan Aranda with a two-out single in the second inning before coming around to score on a single from Randy Arozarena in the following at-bat. In his next at-bat, the star shortstop ripped a double to deep center field that drove in Aranda for a second time, along with Taylor Walls. Franco is now riding a nine-game hitting streak, hitting .333 over that stretch with three doubles, five RBI and three runs scored.

SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Wander Franco drives in 3 as Rays beat Blue Jays 10-5

Wander Franco had three RBIs, Jonathan Aranda homered and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 10-5 in the opener of a big four-game series between playoff contenders

SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS