Wander Franco Injury: Hamstring Issue Has Forced Star Shortstop Out of Rays Lineup

Franco is Listed as Questionable For Monday’s Game Against Boston Red Sox

It seems like the only thing that can slow down dynamic Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco is the wear and tear of a long Major League Baseball season.

The Wander Franco injury concerns returned when he missed the last two games with a hamstring issue. A player who relies on speed as much as Franco is not one who needs to be dealing with a tender hamstring.

He hasn’t been placed on the injured list, so that could be a good sign moving forward for a player who came into the season tied for ninth in the American League Most Valuable Player Award odds.

It is still being determined if he will be in the lineup when Tampa Bay faces the Boston Red Sox on Monday.

Durability Concerns for Franco

Franco played 70 and 83 games in his first two MLB seasons, so Wander Franco injury issues are nothing new.

He was third in the 2021 American League Rookie of the Year voting despite playing 40 games in Durham, Tampa Bay’s top minor-league affiliate.

If Franco’s numbers in the 70 games he played in 2021 were projected over 162 games, he would have finished with 123 runs, 42 doubles, 12 triples, 16 home runs, and 90 RBIs.

He was limited to 83 games in 2022 as he was on pace for 57 extra-base hits. Now there are concerns about Franco this season as well.

Franco has hits in each of his last eight games. He is batting .444 with 10 runs and seven stolen bases during that stretch.

Franco is a primary reason why the MLB odds for Tampa Bay to win the World Series have gone from +2000 to +650 since the season started.

Leading the Charge

Regarding the early stages of the 2023 season, the Tampa Bay Rays went from having the fifth-best odds to win the American League to having the best record in the majors.

One player can’t be credited for the win-loss record that the Rays have. However, it is impossible to overstate Franco’s impact.

Franco is hitting .323 with 19 extra-base hits and 10 stolen bases in 32 home games, as the Rays are 26-6 at home so far this season. His .281 average on the road is down from his mark of .302 a season ago.

Franco has a .422 average in the first inning so far this season, to go with a .500 on-base percentage and .667 slugging percentage. He is also batting .346 in the seventh and eighth innings.

Among qualified hitters, Franco is 11th in the majors with a .305 batting average, tied for 19th with 37 runs scored, and third with 21 stolen bases.

If there is a flaw in Franco’s first 52 games, he is batting just .237 with runners in scoring position. Wander Franco’s injury concerns could put a damper on a Tampa Bay team with the best record (42-19) in the major leagues.

Flashing the Leather

Franco’s impact is wider than when he comes to the plate or runs the bases.

According to the fieldingbible.com site, Franco leads all shortstops in the majors with nine total runs saved. The only players ahead of him are all outfielders.

Franco has a career-best .980 fielding percentage with three errors in 211 chances, and his 4.00 range factor per nine innings is also the best of his three seasons with the Rays.

Money Well Spent

Among the 2017 Major League Baseball International Signings, Franco drew the third-highest bonus of $3.85M behind only Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert and Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Yoshihisa Hirano.

Hirano was 38 when he made his MLB debut with the Diamondbacks in 2018. In three seasons (two with Arizona and another with Seattle), he was 9-9 with a 3.69 ERA from 2018-2020.

Robert has a .283 batting average with 49 home runs for the White Sox.

Former American League Most Valuable Player Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels and 2022 American League Rookie of the Year Julio Rodriguez were other stars signed among the pool of 2017 international players.

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