Padres Free-Agent Case: Keeping Ty France Around Is A No-Brainer

[Steve Drumwright]

Of everything that sits in front of the San Diego Padres, there is one thing that seems like it could be announced any day: Ty France returning to the Padres for at least the 2027 season.

The first baseman went from a borderline possibility to make the Padres’ Opening Day roster to the cleanup hitter in one of the league's best offenses in the last two months of the season. The SoCal native, born in Downey and going to high school in West Covina, and former San Diego State star fit right back in with the team that took him in the 34th round of the 2015 draft and is likely to again in 2027.

Ty France's 2026 Season At A Glance

Coming off a 2025 season in which he signed with the Minnesota Twins in mid-February, then was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays at the deadline and didn’t see much action in the team’s run to the World Series, France didn’t find many takers this offseason as he sought a new home. But his original MLB team gave him a chance, signing a minor-league contract Feb. 15 just as spring training was beginning.

While he had third base experience in the past, he hadn’t played the hot corner since 2022. So he was a first baseman who, like everyone else, could be a designated hitter. A right-handed hitter, France figured to platoon at first with Gavin Sheets, a left-handed hitter.

Then, the Padres signed Nick Castellanos, another right-handed hitter, and said he would be a first baseman, putting France’s spot on the Opening Day roster in jeopardy. But an oblique injury to infielder Sung-Mun Song created a path for France to make the roster. Facing an opt-out deadline, the Padres gave him a chance. It was perhaps their best roster move of the season.

It may have been his defense that got him a roster spot, as France was an AL Gold Glove winner at first base in 2025, but his bat would prove just as critical for the Padres in 2026. He started to get more consistent playing time in mid-May, going on to put up the best offensive season of his eight-year career. He had a .295/.363/.502 slash line with a career-high 21 homers to go along with 72 RBIs, his third-most ever. Up for another Gold Glove this year, that all gave him a bWAR of 4.5, his personal high-water mark, and an OPS+ of 139, also his best in any season.

Why the Padres Should Re-sign Ty France

France just fits with the Padres. He is a complementary player who steps up and can carry a team through stretches. After the All-Star break, France’s slash line was an incredible .321/.395/.513 with 10 homers and 39 RBIs in 63 games. He also had 25 of his 37 walks in that span.

His defense alone would be worth re-signing, but if the 32-year-old can produce offensively on a similar basis, whatever he gets dollar-wise will be a bargain. Spotrac projects France’s 2027 value at $16.4 million, though that is probably higher than he'll get on the open market given his age and middling track record prior to 2026.

Why the Padres Should Not Re-sign Ty France

The only reason not to sign France is if he demands too much money. He won’t—he wants to stay. If there is one concern, it would be France’s ability to repeat what he did offensively. Even if he can’t get to his slash line of this year, his career averages over 162 games are a .267/.338/.414 slash line and 17 homers and 73 RBIs. So it really is just a matter of playing time.

The Bottom Line

The Spotrac project for France just feels really high, no offense to France. I mentioned on the Padres Mission podcast that France would probably get something in the $7 million range. That was without any research and I still feel that is probably about where he comes in as a bit of a hometown discount. Ryan O’Hearn, a Padres trade-deadline acquisition in 2025, got a two-year, $29 million contract last offseason from the Pittsburgh Pirates, a team that probably had to overpay to attract talent.

The Padres don’t have that problem. His highest salary of his career was the $6.775 million he got in 2024 through arbitration with the Seattle Mariners. France will probably max out at $10 million per season, perhaps with some deferrals.

My prediction: France returns on a two- or three-year deal, with a third year possibly being a club option.

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