Rays place SS Wander Franco on IL with quadriceps strain
The Tampa Bay Rays (28-20) hold a narrow half-game edge over the Toronto Blue Jays (27-20) for second place in the AL East. As they wrap up May and enter June, they'll have to try to maintain their second-place status (and perhaps gain on the first-place New York Yankees) without dynamic young shortstop Wander Franco in the lineup for the foreseeable future.
Franco signed with the Rays as an amateur free agent in July 2017 as one of the most-heralded international prospects that year. He entered 2019 as the fourth-best prospect by Baseball America and moved up to the No. 1 spot prior to 2020.
A nephew of former major leaguers Erick and Willy Aybar, Franco was called up to Tampa Bay in June 2021, and in 70 games last season, finished with seven home runs, 39 RBIs and a .288/.347/.463 slash line. Through the summer, Franco went on a tear, showcasing elite contact skills and patience at the plate by reaching base in 43 straight games.
The 21-year-old signed an 11-year, $182 million contract extension with the Rays in November 2021. Through 178 at-bats covering 45 games this season, Franco has posted a .270/.305/.421 slash line to go with four home runs, 19 RBIs and four stolen bases.
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