The Tampa Bay Rays will kick off their season on Thursday against Toronto, which puts Major League Baseball and the player’s union in a position where they need to determine the roster status of Franco.
Franco last played on August 12 and was placed on the restricted list for a week starting August 14. This action was taken by MLB in response to social media posts that implied Franco was involved in a relationship with a minor. However, the authenticity of these posts has not been confirmed by the AP.
The MLB is expected to hold off on making any disciplinary decisions until the investigation into the situation in the Dominican Republic is completed.
Accused initially of commercial and sexual exploitation, as well as money laundering, which could have resulted in a combined prison sentence of up to 60 years, James Franco is now facing allegations of sexual and psychological abuse, as stated in a resolution obtained by The Associated Press in January.
If Franco is found guilty on the new charge, he could potentially face a prison sentence ranging from two to five years. It is important to note that he has not yet been formally accused.
On March 1, Franco celebrated his 23rd birthday, marking his third season in the major leagues. Unfortunately, his promising career came to a halt. At the time, he was batting .281 with 17 home runs, 58 RBIs, and an impressive 30 stolen bases in 40 attempts across 112 games.
In November 2021, Franco signed a lucrative 11-year contract worth $182 million.
In addition to his salary, he received a total of $706,761 last year from MLB’s pre-arbitration bonus pool. This fund, established as part of the 2022 labor contract between the league and players’ association, aims to reward young players. These players, most of whom earn around or slightly above the minimum major league salary, receive bonuses based on their experience in the big leagues.
