ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – There’s no doubt about Wander Franco’s baseball talent, it was how he was acting and not being a good teammate. Now that he’s back after being benched for two games, Franco has a different perspective.
“I think they’re (Rays) doing a good job in the way they’ve controlled the situation,” Franco said through his interpreter Manny Navarro. “I’ve been with this organization a long time, and I think they controlled the situation well and with the errors that I’ve made.”
Franco isn’t talking about errors in the field; it’s the errors he’s made in frustration after making outs or baserunning mistakes and getting into a verbal spat with teammate Randy Arozarena and so forth.
The 22-year-old shortstop signed an 11-year $182 million dollar deal in November 2021. All of it is guaranteed.
Rays skipper Kevin Cash stresses that Franco is a good young man but had to reel him in.
Prior news: Rays Sitting Wander Franco Through At Least Friday
“Wander’s a really good kid, really good person, ” Cash said, noting that it’s not an overnight hope for a change. It’ll take time.
“This is not a flip-a-switch thought,” Cash said. “Wander’s going to put good work in, confident in that and this will take shape over the course of probably our season.”
Franco didn’t take long to make an impact in his first game back, homering off of the Royals starter Jordan Lyles with a 417-foot shot to center field.
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