Franco’s legal team argues he is exempt from punishment due to the court’s ruling that he was also a victim and because of a judicial pardon, with the full sentence to be issued on June 16.

The mother of the minor received a 10-year prison sentence for sexually trafficking her daughter.

Wander Franco, the Rays shortstop, was found criminally responsible for sexual and psychological abuse of a minor by a Dominican Republic judge on May 26, 2026.

MLB said it will conclude its investigation when appropriate, noting the policy’s longest suspension historically reached 324 games for Trevor Bauer (which was later reduced on appeal).

Franco signed an 11-year, $182 million contract with the Rays in 2021, but the case led to his 2023 arrest and placement on the restricted list, affecting his salary.

Franco’s contract remains active in its fifth year of an 11-year, $182 million deal, even as the legal proceedings unfold.

With the Dominican proceedings complete, MLB will review the case under its Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy, potentially resulting in suspension regardless of criminal conviction.

The case traces back to a 2020 relationship with a girl then 14, with reporting starting in 2023 and legal actions continuing through 2024 and beyond.

The Rays say they will complete their own investigation separately and did not indicate any immediate disciplinary action pending the full sentence.

Following his arrest, the Rays placed Franco on the restricted list and suspended his pay during administrative leave, with his last game in 2023 and his status remaining on the restricted list since then.

Franco has been on administrative leave and then restricted list since August 2023, with no pay or service time during that period.

An initial June 2023 conviction carrying a two-year suspended sentence was overturned on appeal, leading to a new trial and a forthcoming full sentencing in mid-2026.