This week, the series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox was already one to look out for because first place was at stake. The American League series received another boost as Rays called up Wander Franco for the matches.
Who Is Wander Franco?
On Sunday, the Tampa Bay Rays stated that Wander Franco was being called up by them. But why the hype around the news? It’s because Wander Franco is currently the best future prospect in baseball, which is agreed by all. He is 20 years old this season and he is an infielder who switch hits.
His debut is set for Tuesday when the first game of the series between Boston and Tampa will kick-off. There will be three games in the series, with the first one being held in Tampa.
The Tampa Bay Rays are also the current champions of the American League. This season they have a record of 43 wins and 30 losses which is half a game lower than that of the Boston Red Sox. Boston’s record stands at 43 wins and 29 losses. As such, the winner of this series will be taking first place in the eastern rankings of the AL. Rays are also currently on a losing streak of six games and will be hoping to break it.
Wander Franco can be the spark for the team. He has played 38 games with the Durham Bulls in the AAA this season. He has hit seven homers with batting averages of 0.323/0.376/0.601. He also has stolen four bases and 35 RBIs while appearing on the plate 173 times. For the previous two seasons, Franco has been the top prospect by ratings. He was signed in 2017 by the Rays.
At the time, he was second behind Shohei Ohtani, who is currently a candidate for MVP with the Angels.