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The Tampa Bay Rays will be without Wander Franco in Saturday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles as the shortstop is dealing with a quad injury.
We’ll get an update from Cash on Wander Franco’s right quad/hamstring injury today, but clearly something is off. He’s hitting .059 (2-for-34) with 1 RBI and 2 walks in his last 9 games.
— Ryan Bass (@Ry_Bass) May 21, 2022
As noted above, Franco has been struggling of late. The Rays have high hopes for the shortstop, who put together an impressive 70-game stretch last season in what was eventually a 100-win campaign for Tampa Bay. Franco is hitting .263 with four home runs and 16 RBIs on the year but has been cold recently.
Look for either Taylor Walls or Vidal Brujan to take Franco’s spot in the infield, depending on how the Rays organize defensively. Yandy Diaz could also get a look, although he’d likely be at third base if he does make an appearance. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Rays are -1.5 (+125) on the run line and -130 on the moneyline in Saturday’s contest against the Orioles.