Wander Franco has not played in an MLB game since Aug. 12, 2023, but will potentially be taking the field for the Dominican Republic in the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo.
SOURCES: Wander Franco plans to play for the Dominican Republic in the baseball tournament of the Central American and Caribbean Games, which begin next week in Santo Domingo.
In June, Franco was found guilty of sexual and psychological abuse of a minor by a Dominican court, but…— Enrique Rojas/ESPN (@Enrique_Rojas1) July 16, 2026
A former Tampa Bay Ray, Franco was found guilty for the second time on charges of sexual and psychological abuse of a minor in May, after initially being found guilty in June 2025. He received a suspended two-year sentence in 2025, and both sides appealed, and a new trial was conducted.
Franco has been on the restricted list since July 10, 2024, and has not appeared in an organized baseball game since his last MLB game. He noted in May, after avoiding a prison sentence because a three-judge panel concluded he was both a victim and defendant in the case, that he wanted to return to playing.
“To my fans, keep supporting me, trust in God and with the faith in God, I’ll soon be back,” said Franco, according to journalist Hector Gomez. “In this process, I learned to never give up and to value family. Value your family because they will always be there. I’ve always kept training thanks to my dad. “I will continue training and waiting for God’s decision.”
The tournament in Santo Domingo will feature Nicaragua, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, Mexico, Curaçao and Cuba. The Dominican Republic will begin its tournament with a matchup against Puerto Rico.
However, it is not a certainty that Wander Franco will even be allowed to play.
Although the Dominican Baseball Federation wants him on the roster for the Games, he was not on the preliminary roster in time, meaning the Dominican Olympic Committee (COD) must decide if he is eligible to play. According to ESPN’s Enrique Rojas, the COD said on Thursday that he will not be on the official roster.
Dominican Baseball Federation president Juan Núñez spoke on Franco’s status with the team.
“The federation wants to use Wander Franco, we will try, but we will abide by the final decision of the COD,” Núñez said per ESPN’s Rojas.
Regardless, this is Franco’s first chance to play since his last MLB Game on August 12, 2023. The league is still investigating him and he is on the restricted list, but he could pursue playing in Japan or Korea if he proves he can still play.
Franco was once the top prospect in all of baseball and was an All-Star in 2023. He appeared in the 2023 World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic and will attempt to don his country’s colors in the Central American and Caribbean Games.
This tournament has suddenly become must-see television as fans look to see if Franco can still play. He is certainly a controversial figure now, and many people may be tuning in just hoping to see him struggle.
WBN DR: /news/category/dominican-republic
Photo: Dominican Republic’s Wander Franco celebrates after getting a base hit during the second inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Puerto Rico, Wednesday, March 15, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
