Tampa Bay Rays rookie shortstop Wander Franco departed Friday night’s game against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning due to right hamstring tightness, and manager AJ Hinch said after the game that he expects the rising star to be placed on the 10-day injured list.
Franco sustained the injury while running from first to third on Nelson Cruz’s double. He was replaced on the bases by Joey Wendle, who remained in the game to play shortstop.
“He’s extremely frustrated because he knows what he means to this team, and he wants to be out there,” Cash said, adding. “I don’t see a situation where he avoids the IL.”
The 20-year-old Franco singled with one out in the first to stretch his streak of reaching base to 39 straight games. Hall of Famer Frank Robinson (43 games) holds the major league record for longest on-base streak by a player age 20 or younger.
Franco recently passed the American League record of 36 held by another Hall of Famer, Mickey Mantle.
Franco is batting .285 with seven homers and 36 RBIs in 62 games since being recalled in June. He made his major league debut on June 22.