Baseball Corridor of Famer David Ortiz has tried to attach with embattled Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who’s being investigated for alleged relationships with minors in his native Dominican Republic.
Throughout a Thursday look on “Grandes En Los Deportes” — a podcast hosted by ESPN Deportes baseball reporter Enrique Rojas — Ortiz defined he “tried to make myself obtainable” to Franco.
“Once I heard about this case, I attempted to make myself obtainable to Wander to see how I might assist him as a result of I actually needed to know what was occurring with that child,” Ortiz mentioned, according to the Daily Mail, earlier than explaining that he has no data of the state of affairs.
“I’m not a partaker of wrongdoings. I actually can’t make a remark (on the Wander Franco case) as a result of so far I don’t know what has occurred,” Ortiz mentioned.
“I don’t know if he did or didn’t. I don’t make the error that many individuals make who begin to remark or give their opinion on issues they don’t find out about.”
Ortiz recalled asking star San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. for Franco’s telephone quantity throughout a dialog with Tatis about his 80-game suspension in 2022 for testing optimistic for Clostebol, a performance-enhancing substance banned by MLB.
“I took benefit there and requested him (Tatis Jr.) to contact him (Wander), get me his telephone quantity to see how I can assist him,” the Boston Crimson Sox legend mentioned. “It’s the solely dialog about it that I’ve had, greater than something.”
Ortiz referred to as the state of affairs with Wander “difficult.”
“I hope that all the things that’s being mentioned with Wander Franco just isn’t a actuality,” he said. “It’s a sophisticated state of affairs with the MLB, as a result of MLB doesn’t tolerate these conditions.”
Ortiz additionally mirrored on a earlier dialog he had with Franco, 22, through the MLB All-Star Recreation festivities in Seattle final month.
“I spent a very long time speaking to Wander on the All-Star Recreation, I actually favored him as a result of he is an effective child, like all youth,” he mentioned. “However the mission of 1 as a veteran is to information these youngsters, not trample on them or mistreat them.”
The Rays positioned Franco on the restricted checklist Monday as MLB investigates since-deleted social media posts alleging he was concerned in a relationship with a minor.
The Dominican Republic legal professional basic’s workplace advised the AP on Monday that it additionally was investigating the matter.
On Tuesday, Franco was linked to a second alleged relationship with an underage woman, per Dominican newspaper Diario Libre, which cited a supply within the nation’s legal professional basic workplace claiming a 17-year-old woman filed a grievance in opposition to Franco in July.
The age of consent within the Dominican Republic is eighteen.
Franco appeared to disclaim the allegations in a video he posted on Instagram Live Sunday.
“They are saying that I’m in public with slightly woman, that I’m operating round with a minor,” Franco mentioned in Spanish within the video, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
“How loopy is that, dude? Folks don’t know what to do with their time. Go see. These individuals have to get transferring.
“One is right here centered, doing my factor, you see, because of God. That’s why I desire to be on my aspect and never become involved with anyone as a result of individuals are so gossipy.”
MLB investigators and brokers from the Lawyer Basic’s Workplace division specializing in minors and gender violence within the province of Peravia traveled to Bani, the capital and Franco’s hometown, to research, in line with the Every day Mail.
On Thursday, Dominican journalist Hector Gomez tweeted a quote from “an individual very near the investigations into the case of Wander Franco,” stating his MLB profession could possibly be over.
“It will likely be impossible that Wander Franco will play in MLB once more, judging by the outcomes of the investigations which might be at the moment being carried out, which instantly commit him to the accusations in opposition to him,” Gomez’s publish learn.
Wander will miss Tampa Bay’s three-game collection in opposition to the Los Angeles Angels, which begins Friday.
