MLB places Rays' Wander Franco on administrative leave - ESPN

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco was placed on administrative leave by Major League Baseball on Tuesday amid multiple investigations into alleged relationships he had with underage girls in his native Dominican Republic.

Franco, 22, who missed the past week after the Rays placed him on the restricted list, is being investigated by Dominican police, as well as MLB's department of investigations. While no charges have been filed against Franco, a prosecutor last week said a division specializing in minors and gender violence is directing the police investigation.

«The administrative leave, effective immediately, is not disciplinary under the Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. We will comment further at the appropriate time,» MLB said in a statement Tuesday.

The designation of administrative leave is a significant but expected step. Administrative leave removes a player from a team's roster during an ongoing investigation into a potential violation of the sport's domestic violence policy. While a player can challenge administrative leave, MLB and the MLB Players Association agreed to place Franco on it «until further notice,» a period expected to last beyond the standard initial seven-day placement.

«We support Major League Baseball's decision to place Wander Franco on Administration Leave,» the Rays said in a statement. «The Tampa Bay Rays are dedicated to upholding high standards of integrity both on and off the field. We appreciate the understanding and patience of our fans and supporters as this process unfolds. We will have no further statements on this matter until MLB completes its process.»

MLB started its investigation into Franco within hours of social media messages Aug. 13 that