Wander Franco is guilty of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl in 2023, a judge in the Dominican Republic made clear Monday.

Yet in his next breath, the same judge ruled that the former Tampa Bay Rays star shortstop will not be sentenced to prison because he was a victim of blackmail and extortion by the girl’s mother.

Celebrity justice in the D.R. can be perplexing, and Judge José Antonio Núñez admitted as much. But he also contended that the judicial pardon he granted Franco was the result of “logical and legal reasoning.”

“It seems contradictory to declare criminal responsibility and, at the same time, exempt him from punishment,” Núñez said. “The court has granted Wander Franco a judicial pardon due to the particular circumstances that made him a material victim, but not a legal one.”

The court found that the girl’s mother extorted thousands of dollars from Franco. The woman was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of commercial sexual exploitation of a minor and money laundering.

The odds are long that Franco will return to Major League Baseball any time soon. The fact that the court found him guilty of repeatedly having sex with a minor puts him squarely in violation of MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.

The league is in the midst of an investigation into Franco’s conduct.

“We respect the legal process and the decision issued by the court,” the Rays said in a statement. “This is a serious matter, and our thoughts remain with those affected by the case.

“The Rays will continue to cooperate fully with Major League Baseball as it completes its review under the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. Out of respect for the legal process and all parties involved, we will have no further comment at this time.”

Franco’s situation serves as a cautionary tale for MLB teams that hand out long-term contracts years before players become free agents. The Rays signed a 20-year-old Franco to an 11-year, $182 million deal in November 2021 after he batted .288 with 30 extra-base hits in 70 games as a rookie.

Franco appeared on his way to stardom during a stellar 2023 season, but according to court filings he carried on a relationship with the 14-year-old victim for several months.

An investigation was launched in August 2023. Franco was arrested Jan. 1, 2024, after failing to appear before Dominican authorities who sought to interview him.

Tampa Bay placed him on the restricted list early in the 2024 season, voiding his contract.

Franco was found guilty in a June 2025 trial. Although prosecutors sought a five-year prison sentence, he was given only a two-year suspended sentence by Justice Jakayra Veras.

“Look at us, Wander,” Veras said in open court. “Do not approach minors for sexual purposes. If you don’t like people very close to your age, you have to wait your time.”

An appeals court in December ordered a new trial, which took place Monday and resulted in his pardon.

“Thank God for everything,” Franco said as he embraced his mother, Nancy Aybar, after Judge Nuñez announced the pardon.

As he departed the courthouse, Franco was asked by a reporter how he felt.

“I feel calm,” he said.

The Houston Astros capped their fourth straight win with a no-hit shutout on Monday. Tatsuya Imai started and pitched six innings before relievers Steven Okert and Alimber Santa took over to keep the Texas Rangers hitless.

The 9-0 victory marked the MLB’s first no-hitter since Shota Imanaga and two Chicago Cubs relievers combined for a 12-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in September 2024.

The last complete-game no-hitter came in August 2024, when Blake Snell held the Cincinnati Reds hitless.

Imai went six innings in the 17th regular-season no-hitter in Astros history and fourth that was a combined effort. Houston also threw a no-hitter in the 2022 World Series when four pitchers combined against Philadelphia.

Okert worked the seventh after Imai got 16 outs over the last 16 batters he faced. He walked three of his first four batters but benefited from a double play in the first inning before finding a rhythm. 

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Santa made his big-league debut in the eighth and retired all six batters he faced. His 24th pitch was a called third strike against Brandon Nimmo that ended it after an ABS challenge by the batter was confirmed a strike.

The Rangers were held without a hit for the sixth time, the first since Corey Kluber threw a no-hitter against them for the New York Yankees in May 2021.

Imai is in his first big-league season after coming over from Japan.

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The 28-year-old right-hander joined the Astros in January after agreeing to a $54 million, three-year contract. He was a three-time All-Star during eight seasons in Japan, and went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA last season for the Pacific League’s Seibu Lions.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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In his first big-league game back since Game 7 of the World Series, Kiké Hernández received playoff-level cheers at Dodger Stadium on Monday night, nearly drowning out his walk-up song as he stepped into the batter’s box against the Rockies in the bottom of the third inning. Some fans tipped their hats. Others joined the rising “Kiké!” chants.

After taking a ball, Hernández sent a four-seam fastball hopping down the left-field line for an RBI double that scored Hyeseong Kim. The crowd of 48,778 exploded.

It was shaping up to be a happy return, but it wasn’t until the seventh inning that the rest of the Dodgers lineup found its footing, taking advantage of some shaky relief pitching to rally for a 5-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

Hernández reached on an infield single in his second at-bat before being lifted for a pinch-hitter as the Dodgers began to rally in the seventh.

Hernández’s journey back to the big leagues has been an arduous one. Throughout his two-month stint last year on the injured list, he received seven injections in his left elbow. None worked.

A procedure by Dr. Neal ElAttrache helped numb the pain, but it came roaring back when the 34-year-old dove for a ball in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the Brewers.

“Every time I would get in my batting stance, I would feel like I had a blowtorch on, and it was kind of frustrating because there was not much we could do for it,” Hernández said before the game.

Hernández had made peace with his injury, given he was able to push through to a World Series win with little time to heal. After the season, Hernández had surgery on the elbow, not knowing the damage or the timeline for return.

When he woke, still a little delirious, ElAttrache told him the news: “This was the worst injury I’ve ever seen of this kind, and I don’t know how you played,” Hernández recalled him saying.

Hernández then FaceTimed Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.

“I told him, ‘ElAttrache, tell him what you just said,’” Hernández said, “I was like, ‘I did this for you, so you better bring me back.’”

Hernández signed a one-year, $4.5-million deal with the Dodgers in February, and began the process of starting over, relearning how to play baseball with a newly reattached left elbow.

In the process, he missed playing for Team Puerto Rico in the island territory where the team had been located in the group stages of the World Baseball Classic, what he called a “childhood dream.” He also missed spring training and opening day for the first time in his career. Still, he wouldn’t change a thing if given the opportunity.

“In a weird way, I would’ve rather missed the WBC and win a World Series than getting to fulfill a life dream of playing in Puerto Rico after losing a World Series,” Hernández said. “It was a fair trade.”

Hernández will play a mix of infield and a little bit of outfield, giving his teammates a chance to rest. Utility man Santiago Espinal, whom the Dodgers claimed on waivers and broke out in spring training, was designated for assignment to make room on the roster.

“Santiago was great for me, great for the team, and I think we were very forthright, up front, about the expectation, so I think he respected that,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

While Hernández found contact on each of his at-bats, the rest of the team sputtered through six innings. Rockies starter Tanner Gordon commanded his slider, throwing the pitch for strikes 74% of the time.

Trailing 3-1, the Dodgers (34-20) found their momentum in the seventh after Rockies reliever Juan Mejia walked two, and Brennan Bernardino, who replaced Mejia, hit pinch-hitter Miguel Rojas with a pitch.

Shohei Ohtani plated a run on a forceout, Mookie Betts drove in Kim on a sacrifice fly to tie the score and Freddie Freeman bounced a double off the right-field wall to drive in Ohtani. Andy Pages hit a looping ball to right-center off Jaden Hill, the third Rockies pitcher of the inning, to score Freeman and complete the Dodgers’ scoring.

“Fortunately we were victims of good fortune,” Roberts said. “ I think that allowing ourselves to build off that inning, and then we started getting some hits, which was great. It was good to see us show some life tonight.”

Starter Emmet Sheehan ran into trouble when he gave up a ground-rule double to Tyler Freeman to lead off the fourth inning. Troy Johnston smacked a line drive on the next pitch that glanced off Sheehan’s right arm for an infield single. After Roberts and head athletic trainer Thomas Albert checked on Sheehan, the right-hander stayed in and gave up a run on a single to right field by Willi Castro to tie the score. Ezequiel Tovar put the Rockies ahead with a sacrifice fly to left field.

“I felt fine,” Sheehan said. “I knew it just caught muscle so stung in the moment, but it wasn’t anything to be worried about.”

Sheehan completed six innings, striking out eight and walking one.

“I gave him every opportunity,” Roberts said. “Thomas gave him every opportunity, but he wanted to stay in, and we took him at his word.”

Kyle Hurt, who eventually picked up the win, replaced him in the seventh and immediately surrendered a home run to Tovar on the second pitch of the at-bat to pad Colorado’s lead. The homer ended the bullpen’s franchise record of 38 consecutive scoreless innings set Sunday.

Will Klein pitched a scoreless eighth before Alex Vesia and Blake Treinen pitched the ninth, with Treinen picking up the save on a strikeout of Braxton Fulford.

“Kyle’s been great for us, and Tovar hit a changeup,” Roberts said. “ It was good to see Kyle come back and get that next hitter.”

Max Muncy Update

The Dodgers are hopeful for a Max Muncy return Wednesday after the swelling in his right wrist decreased. The 35-year-old was struck by a 95.5-mph slider on Friday. Initial X-rays were negative, and he hasn’t undergone more testing for the injury since. Roberts didn’t rule out a retroactive move to the injury list, though the team feels good about him avoiding it.

“He’s done better,” Roberts said before the game. “He’s a little less sore today. The swelling has dissipated.”

Roberts said after the game that Muncy was available if Rojas hadn’t been able to continue on after getting hit on the right foot.

“I didn’t know how bad Miggy was, so I wanted to check in on Max to see if he could potentially go up and stand at third base,” Roberts said. “He was up for it, but fortunately we didn’t have to use that.”

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