2:45pm: Manager Kevin Cash says the timeline for Franco’s return is two-to-three weeks, per Topkin (via Twitter). That would get Franco back to the field before the end of the season.
TODAY, 10:40am: As expected, the Rays placed Franco on the 10-day injured list, recalling shortstop Taylor Walls to take his place on the roster. In addition, Randy Arozarena was reinstated from the paternity list and Josh Lowe was optioned back to Triple-A, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter links). Franco will have an MRI done later today to determine the extend of his hamstring strain.
SEPT. 10: Rays shortstop Wander Franco left this evening’s game against the Tigers in the first inning due to right hamstring tightness. After the game, manager Kevin Cash told reporters (including Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times) the expectation is that Franco will require a stint on the injured list.
Presumably, Franco will go for further testing to determine the extent of the injury and a projected timetable for his return. With an eight and a half game cushion in the AL East, the Rays shouldn’t have much issue weathering the loss of the star rookie for the next few weeks. But it’d obviously be disastrous news for Tampa Bay if the injury were to threaten his readiness for the start of postseason play a little less than a month from now.
The game’s consensus top prospect entering the season, Franco has demonstrated exactly why he’s so highly-regarded over his first couple months in the majors. Tampa Bay selected the switch-hitter to make his big league debut in late June. Franco started off slowly over his first couple weeks, but the 20-year-old’s recent run of play has been historic. He’s reached base safely in each of his past 39 games (including tonight’s contest, in which he singled in his only plate appearance). In MLB history, only Hall of Famer Frank Robinson has posted a longer on-base streak (43 games in 1956) at such a young age.
Altogether, Franco owns a .285/.347/.463 line (126 wRC+) over his first 271 big league plate appearances. He’s walking and hitting for power at essentially league average rates, but Franco has demonstrated excellent bat-to-ball skills. His 12.9% strikeout rate is almost ten percentage points lower than the league average, an impressive achievement for any player — let alone one as young as Franco.
The Rays do have ample infield depth to cover shortstop while Franco’s on the shelf. Fellow top prospects Vidal Bruján and Taylor Walls have logged some big league time this year and could be recalled from Triple-A Durham. Joey Wendle could also slide over from his typical third base position on occasion, with Yandy Díaz capable of manning the hot corner and Ji-Man Choi playing first base in such a scenario.
BMI = 27.1
And so it goes
A crusade against BMI? A cause I can get behind.
Babe Ruth BMI: 27.9
{in Eeyore voice} “and so it goes…”
Lou Gehrig BMI = 27.1
Some people who live to 100 smoke cigarettes. That doesn’t make smoking good for your health. There are no answers, only tendencies. Higher BMI tracks with higher injury rate. Of course there are exceptions. There always are in everything. Correlation is not the same as causation. And so it goes.
Ya know what also “tracks”?
That you are completely crazy with this. Remember: this all started as nothing more than one of your crazy insults of the Yanks. Now that you’ve found a couple dozen (out of hundreds of thousands of players through the years) examples that fit your narrative you seem convinced that you have it all figured out.
I actually think this is just some Next Level trolling. No one could really believe that nonsense.
Ya know?
Hmm… Wander Franco isn’t in the Hall of Fame yet? Automatic failure.
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
Love this kid, he reminds me of Rickey at the plate and on the bases.
Oh, c’mon.
It’s true! We would say Babe Ruth as well, but Ohtani has proven better already.
Ohtani is 27, Wander is 20.
Not exactly an accurate comp, if you care.
Ohtani has proven better already than who?
He’s being sarcastic…
Lol, shabby, maybe his handle should be murderersSLOW.
Wander Franco is overrated. He’ll be a .250 hitter next year.
@fisher40 his league average.307 BABIP says “nah youre wrong”
On Base Machine with plus speed and power, what part do you disagree about?
Sure Rickey is the greatest baserunner of all time (leaving Cobb out of the equation), but the game has changed since then.
It sure has changed. It’s gone downhill.
No argument there, especially with regard to roster management.
Lol.
Ah yes, an on-base machine with an elite OBP of .344! That’s only .108 behind the league lead! It honestly perplexes me how a guy with an OPS of .806 can have a 128 OPS+ in a high-offense division. He’s barely outside the top-10 in the AL. Franco’s played 61 games and has 2.9 WAR, which would have made him an MVP candidate last season. There’s nothing about his slashline or his defensive metrics that can justify him being on pace to be an 8 WAR player. It’s almost as if the analytics nerds build these all-encompassing stats like WAR and OPS+ for hyped up players to build them up and make them seem so much better than they really are.
@Fever Pitch Guy
Rickey the best.
Kenny Lofton & Otis Nixon not that far behind.
Maybe you missed the part in the above article about the 39 game on base streak? How only one other player in MLB history has done the same at such a young age?
Also if you click above on Wander’s name, then click on Splits, you’ll see he had a .382 OBP in August and a .424 OBP in September.
Sure he struggled a bit in his first 128 ML PA’s, it’s only natural when a kid that young is getting his feet wet.
Numbers lie, liars use numbers…
@Fever Pitch Guy: Not exactly sure how he reminds you of Rickey ‘on the bases’ when he has two SB in 62 games. Rickey would have that many in the first inning of one game sometimes.
I’ll never forget Otis stealing home for my team, it was fantastic!
Similar speed on the basepath, Wander takes the extra base when most players can’t.
I mentioned earlier, it’s a different game today than when Rickey played. Stolen bases are not valued and are actually discouraged because of potential injuries.
I still don’t agree. Rickey is in a class all his own when it comes to base path speed. I love Wander but that’s just not a good comparison at all. The game changing doesn’t explain away his two steals in only three attempts in 62 games. I don’t see how they’re in any way similar. Have you simply forgotten how amazing Rickey was?
This is the wrong place to attack those who use stats. LOL
I don’t understand what you mean, but ok.
He’s 20 and was miserable when he first got the call. He weathered it and has a .344 OBP despite his early struggles.
Sorry I was responding to JerryBird, never understood the positioning of replies on this place. LOL
I agree Rickey is an all-time great, regardless of the PED accusations. What I see in Franco is similar aggressiveness on the basepaths, which includes more than just stolen bases, and similar power.
The kid has 70-80 FV grades, he’s truly destined for greatness just as Trout was.
But yes, nobody will ever come close to Rickey’s SB numbers. Which is a shame, because stolen bases aren’t valued as much thanks to the Sabermetric crowd.
Fever Pitch, I do it just to get a laugh from the responses. My point of view is any numerical analysis can be manipulated to get a point across, which is why I don’t put too much faith in it and why a good accountant makes a ton of money. I do not intend to hurt someone’s feelings or insult them, otherwise I would apologize immediately. That has happened in the past and I did apologize.
Thanks for the explanation Jerry. As an accountant myself, I can say with certainty that most numerical analysis can’t be manipulated without committing fraud. However, you can often prove a point by selecting the most appropriate numbers to present and doing so in a format that is the most beneficial to your point. Misuse of statistics is very common around here, Those who are guilty of doing so, I wouldn’t necessarily accuse them of lying. They are more likely incapable of extrapolating proper conclusions because they don’t take into account all the factors impacting the numbers they’ve presented.
You bored me at accountant. You must be fun at parties.
Bummer. This kid is good. Hope injuries don’t slow his development.
Aaron Bummer is good. But this story is about Franco.
I pray it’s not serious., He’s a Wander to watch and at such a young age.
Booooo be ashamed
Going to hurt the Rays because he’s on fire. Nonetheless, they will win the division and still probably have another productive player fill in.
“We want Tampa”, lol
Just a question, is ops+ weighted on position? I assume, as Franco is 130 and India is 116. India’s is better across all lines.
Park factors play heavily in OPS+. India plays his home games in an extreme hitters park while Franco plays his home games in a circus tent
This is a bummer! Hopefully it is minor and he can rest & recover before the playoffs. I also hope this won’t negatively impact his timing too much as he was hitting so well.
i’d say he deserves better than playing in a joke stadium in front of 73 fans waiting for football to start, but his team is running away with the division so what do i know?
The answer to your query is nothing
my mistake. meant to write they play in a state-of-the-art ballpark packed to the rafters with passionate and engaged fans. i admire the organization, just wish they played in better circumstances
Extrapolated over 162 G, Wander Franco is a 7.8 WAR player this year.
May the gods have mercy on all of us.
Franco now free to Wander the earth like Samuel L. Or Kane. Roam if you want to…
Hoping he joins the Marlins soon. A Fish called Wander.