Rays SS Wander Franco out 5-8 weeks after wrist surgery
The Tampa Bay Rays could be without shortstop Wander Franco for the next two months.
Franco will be out for five-to-eight weeks after undergoing wrist surgery to repair his hamate bone in his right hand, according to the Tampa Bay Times’ Marc Topkin.
At best, that means Franco won’t return until about Aug. 15. At worst, Franco will be able to return with about just one month left in the regular season.
Franco went down with his wrist injury early on Saturday in their game against the Cincinnati Reds after he fouled a ball from pitcher Hunter Greene. The pitch, which was clocked at 100.2 mph, seemingly hit Franco right in his wrist as he swung, which sent him doubling over in clear pain.
El swing donde Wander Franco sintió la fractura en una de sus manos, el pelotero franquicia de los #Rays vuelve a ingresar en la Lista de lesionados y se podría perder entre 6-8 semanas.
- Jonathan Aranda vuelve a ser llamado a la MLB. pic.twitter.com/QLYOg7T8cC— Andrés Bolívar (@AndreesBolivar) July 10, 2022
Franco stayed in the game, but was placed on the injured list on Sunday.
“Right now it doesn’t feel too good,” he said after the game, through an interpreter, via Bally Sports. “Not a lot of energy, just because I wish to play, but we have to just keep on moving forward.”
Franco will likely be replaced by Taylor Walls until he can return. Franco has hit .260 with five home runs and 23 RBIs so far this season, his second with the team.
The Rays lost all three of their games against the Reds over the weekend, including Saturday’s 5-4 loss that came on a balk in the 10th inning. That was just the 23rd “balk-off” win in MLB history. The Rays hold a 45-50 record heading into Monday’s series against the Boston Red Sox, and hold a wild-card spot in the American League.
