Age: 32 (7/13/94) B/T: R/R
2026 Traditional Stats: .295/.363/.502/.865, 21 HR, 72 RBI, 59 R, 24 2B, 2 3B, 37 BB, 108 SO, 500 PA, 133 G
2026 Advanced Stats: 141 wRC+, 21.6 K%, 7.4 BB%, .342 BABIP, .327 xwOBA, 3.6 fWAR, 4.5 bWAR
Breakdown
Ty France is a Southern California native who was drafted by the Padres in the 34th round in 2015 after playing for Tony Gwynn at San Diego State. He debuted with San Diego in 2019, hit seven homers in 69 games, and the next year was traded to Seattle (along with Luis Torrens) in a seven-player deal.
He had two good years in Seattle, hitting 18 homers and posting an .813 OPS in 2021 and hitting 20 homers with a .774 OPS in 2022. He was an All-Star for the 90-win Mariners in 2022. After an off year in 2023, he was traded at the 2024 deadline to the Reds for a minor leaguer.
The Twins signed him as a free agent ahead of the 2025 season and traded him to the Blue Jays at the deadline. He was 10 outs above average at first base that year and won a Gold Glove, though offensively he struggled. He hit seven homers in 138 games and posted a .681 OPS.
This past February, a free agent again, the Padres brought him back on a one-year, $1.35 million deal and he rewarded the club by setting career highs in home runs and OPS. He led the team in OPS. His wRC+ would have ranked 11th in MLB if he qualified, but he fell two plate appearances short. He was a finalist for the Gold Glove, but Matt Olson won the award.
Recommendation: Worth Checking In
The Mets need a first baseman and a right-handed hitter with power who can play the field well would be a nice fit. He could platoon with the left-handed hitting Jared Young, but he wouldn’t necessarily have to. France posted an .869 OPS vs. righties this year, which was 16 points higher than his OPS vs. lefties. (Young’s OPS vs. righties was .793 this season.)
MLB Trade Rumors projects a two-year, $32 million contract, which sounds more than fair in light of the two-year, $40 million deal the Mets signed Jorge Polanco to last offseason. Polanco was the same age at the time that France is now and was coming off a productive offensive year in Minnesota, but had never played first base. Polanco will enter spring training with question marks about his health. He underwent ankle surgery in August.
France is likely to draw several suitors. He is arguably the best all-around free agent first baseman available.
