Adrián Beltré Wander Franco Deserves A Second Chance In MLB ... But Not Sure He'll Get It

Published June 1, 2026 12:30 AM PDT

Wander Franco caught a big break in court this week, avoiding prison ... but that doesn't mean he'll ever walk on an MLB diamond again, despite having the staunch support of many players, including Hall of Famer Adrián Beltré.

TMZ Sports ran into the 4x All-Star and 5x Gold Glove Award winner at LAX this week, when we asked him about his fellow Dominican star, and whether he deserved another crack at playing in the Big Leagues.

"It's a sensitive situation, but I think, I believe that everybody has a second chance," Beltré told us.

A three-judge panel in a Puerto Plata court found the 25-year-old Tampa Bay Rays star criminally responsible for the sexual and psychological abuse of a 14-year-old girl, but was also deemed to be a victim of extortion at the hands of the minor's mom, who was accused of trafficking her own child.

The judges ruled Wander wouldn't serve any prison time, meaning he could theoretically return to baseball for the first time since August 2023.

But, there's a potential hurdle ... and it's a big one.

Major League Baseball has been investigating the situation with Franco for years and has not yet released its findings.

The league, at times, has hit players with lengthy suspensions, including when Trevor Bauer was suspended for 324 games. The Cy Young pitcher -- who was never charged with a crime -- had the penalty reduced to 130 games.

"[MLB is] really strict about these things," Adrián said. "It's just a sensitive situation. I don't really know enough about it."

Wander was once the top prospect in all of baseball and is still only in his mid-20s ... and he could theoretically return, assuming a team was willing to sign him.

Beltré isn't the only one offering support. Fellow Hall of Famer, Pedro Martínez, also told us he hopes Wander gets another opportunity to play in the MLB.

For the time being, Franco is on the league's Restricted List, meaning he cannot play. MLB could announce the findings of its investigation at any point.