The Tampa Bay Rays Have Been Better (And Better Off) Without Wander Franco

Seventy games into what looked to be a great MLB career, the Tampa Bay Rays signed shortstop Wander Franco to an 11-year/$182 million contract. The Rays are known for moving quickly to sign their young superstar players to team-friendly, long-term deals, but the Franco contract went well beyond what the Rays had previously done.

During his rookie year, Tampa Bay signed Evan Longoria to a 6-year/$17.5 million contract, a deal that was extended another 10 years/$100 million after the 2012 season. The team also locked in pitchers Matt Moore and Chris Archer, and outfielder Kevin Kiermaier, on multi-year deals worth less than $100 million.

On August 14, MLB placed Franco on administrative leave to investigate allegations that Franco had intimate relationship(s) with underage girls in his native Dominican Republic. That leave was extended indefinitely a week later as MLB continues its investigation and awaits results from a similar investigation in the D.R. Under an agreement with the players’ union, Franco will be paid and accrue service time while the investigation is underway.

At the time he was placed on leave, Franco led the Rays in fWAR at 4.5. He was batting .281/.344/.475 with 17 home runs, 23 doubles, and 6 triples. His defense at shortstop was stellar. He had accumulated 15 Defensive Runs Saved in 112 games.

The Rays have been without Franco for 33 games (not including Thursday’s game against the Angels, which is happening as I write this), and his 4.5 fWAR is still the highest on the team over the full season. That’s how great of a season he was having.

You’d think taking Franco out of the lineup and off the field would have really hurt the Rays. But that’s not how things have played out.

Before their game on August 14, the Rays were 71-49, a .592 winning percentage. They trailed the Orioles by 3 games in the American League East, despite their overwhelming +139 run differential compared to the Orioles’ +65.

The team slash after the game on August 13 was .255/.327/.444. The Rays had hit 173 home runs, or 1.44 home runs per game; 205 doubles, or 1.7 doubles per game; and they’d scored 620 runs, or 5.16 runs per game.

In the 33 games without Franco, starting on August 14 and through yesterday’s game, the Rays’ team slash is .264/.339/.439. They’ve hit 44 home runs, or 1.33 home runs per game; they’ve hit 58 doubles, or 1.76 doubles per game; and they’ve scored 184 runs, or 5.58 runs per game.

And they’ve won 67% of their games, with a record of 22-11. The Rays’ run differential is now +195. They are still in second place in the AL East, down 2.5 games, but have clinched a postseason berth.

The Rays do have a knack for developing what seems like a never-ending supply of young talent. But even the Rays couldn’t simply plug another player in at shortstop and call it a day.

Tampa Bay did call up prospect Osleivis Basabe and he’s played 25 games at shortstop, but he hasn’t played particularly well in the field or at the plate. In 82 plate appearances, Basabe is hitting .213/.280/.320. The Rays have also used Taylor Walls at short. And while he’s showed a steadier glove, he also hasn’t produced much at the plate. His slash for the season is .204/.312/.343 in 342 plate appearances.

With Franco out, other players stepped up their game.

Second baseman Brandon Lowe, who missed a month with a herniated disc in his back, has been on a tear since Franco was placed on leave. In the last 33 Rays games, Lowe upped his slash from .221/.314/.428 to .263/.359/.495.

Outfielder Josh Lowe (no relation) also amped up his production at the plate, going from a slash of .273/.316/.479 to .308/.342/.490 since August 13.

Same for DH and outfielder Harold Ramirez. He was hitting .294/.340/.434 until August 13. Since then he’s posted a .313/.341/.482 slash.

First baseman Yandy Diaz, third baseman Isaac Paredes, and outfielder Randy Arozarena having been mashing all season and simply continued to produced well-above league average numbers.

In fact, the only Rays regular who’s had a significant dip in production since Franco was placed on leave is Luke Raley.

The rest of the team stepped into the void left by Franco and now the Rays are gearing up for their fifth consecutive postseason.