Rays Get Huge Wander Franco Injury Update

The Tampa Bay Rays lineup hasn't been the same since star shortstop Wander Franco went down with a right quad strain in late May. The 21-year-old may not have a timetable set up for his return at this moment, but he is set to begin agility drills on Monday. That is a huge step in the right direction.

Wander Franco Injury Update

Franco was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 31 and has been working hard to get back on the field ever since. Tampa Bay has been extremely cautious with their franchise player, though, as it has no need to rush him back before he's ready. If all goes well, more baseball activity should be coming.

It's worth noting that Franco first suffered the quad issue when he was running the base paths against the Texas Rangers. Making sure he is able to run at full speed and accelerate with ease is a key part of his recovery. This is the second time in Franco's young career that he has been on the IL.

There's no denying that the Rays are a scarier offensive team when Franco is healthy. After finishing third in the American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2021, he is slashing .270/.305/.421 through 45 games played this season. Franco has also tallied 27 runs scored, 4 home runs and 19 RBI.

For now, the Rays will look to keep pace in a crowded AL Wild Card race, in which they currently hold the second spot (35-25 record). Tampa Bay has odds set at +2500 to win the World Series, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.