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The Rays are getting attention for the total notorious reasons this week after All-Neatly-known particular person shortstop Trail Franco used to be put on the restricted list amid allegations of an scandalous relationship with a minor.
However if you keep a matter to workers brass, the remainder of the Rays roster won’t let or now not it be a distraction.
“Our 26-man active roster just now is now not the one we started the season with, and that’s how it goes,” baseball operations president Erik Neander mentioned, in step with the Tampa Bay Events. “I mediate over time, avid gamers learn to manipulate the issues they would possibly be able to control and defend their attention where it needs to be.
“And here’s a neighborhood that has demonstrated resiliency. They’ve demonstrated a next-man-up mentality and maintain self perception that the 26 that are active are going to lock it in, be competitive and function their very simplest to rob a stare at to dart this division down. So that they’re consultants.
“It’s some distance a extremely just neighborhood, and assured they’re going to breeze accessible and video display that.”
Franco has been one in every of the finest avid gamers in baseball this season, hitting .281 with 17 homers, 58 RBIs and 30 stolen bases in 112 games, moreover to sturdy defense at shortstop.
Even with out Franco, Rays supervisor Kevin Money is assured his workers can defend a unparalleled season that has been one in every of the finest in Tampa Bay history.
“It’s a just neighborhood — a just balance of young avid gamers that bring reasonably loads of energy,” Money mentioned. “We’ve bought some veterans which maintain indubitably done a nice job right thru the course of the season, withstanding a protracted season and one of the major stuff that goes into [it] … We’ve been playing pretty just baseball. Let’s peek if we are able to continue that.”
On Tuesday, the Dominican newspaper Diario Libre reported that a second underage girl claimed to maintain an scandalous relationship with Franco.
After the first allegations surfaced on social media on Sunday, Franco denied the rumors right thru an Instagram Live video.
“They suppose that I’m in public with rather girl, that I’m operating round with a minor,” Franco mentioned within the social media video in Spanish. “Folks don’t know what to function with their time. They don’t know what they’re talking about.
“That’s why I desire to be on my side and now not accumulate entangled with anyone.”
Franco failed to scoot with the staff for a six-recreation West Flit avenue outing that began Monday.
Heading into play Tuesday, the Rays are 72-49, three games on the motivate of the Orioles for first pickle within the AL East and within the American League’s high wild-card negate.