The Cooperstown member also denied some alleged statements referring to the Rays player and the process he is going through
In his first public intervention regarding the case of Wander Franco, Cooperstown Hall of Fame member David Ortiz categorically denied having made negative comments about the player, contrary to a publication attributed to him on social media.
"I am not a participant in wrongdoing. I cannot really comment (on Wander Franco's case) because up until this moment I don't know what has happened," Ortiz said on the Dominican radio program Grandes en los Deportes. "I don't know if he did it or not. I don't make the mistake that many people make, starting to make comments or give opinions on things they don't know about."
However, the three-time World Series champion acknowledged that he intended, upon learning about the situation, to offer Tampa Bay Rays player his assistance to the best of his abilities.
In his first public intervention regarding the case of Wander Franco, Ortiz categorically denied having made negative comments about the player, contrary to a publication attributed to him on social media.
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"When I heard about that situation, I tried to make myself available to Wander to see how I could help because I really wanted to know what was happening with that young man. During the All-Star Game, I spent a lot of time talking to Wander, I really liked him because he's a good kid, like all young people, but one's mission as a veteran is to guide these kids, not step on them or mistreat them."
David Ortiz's reaction comes after a social media post falsely attributed statements to him mentioning what happened with Fernando Tatis Jr. and comparing it to the process Franco is going through.
"He talks about Tatis there too. He is one of my guys. Tatis was the one who called me about the false comment with Wander, and I started investigating. I took the opportunity to ask Tatis Jr. to get in touch with him (Wander), get his phone number so that I can see how I can help him. That's the only conversation I've had about it, nothing more."
Ortiz reiterated on the Grandes en los Deportes program that he always tries to see how he can help young players, something he has expressed before, and at the same time, he does not seek to judge anyone, especially in a case where he is unaware of the details of what happened.
Franco is on the restricted list while undergoing an investigation by MLB and Dominican authorities.