At age 32, San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France is enjoying a career revival in his first year back in San Diego since the first half of the 2020 season.
Playing on an expiring $1.35 million deal, France has soared to the top of the Padres' list of offensive leaders, with a .289 batting average (second-highest among players with 150 or more at-bats), a .350 on-base percentage (second-highest) and the third-most home runs on the roster with 18.
"I don't think anybody would have guessed that coming out of spring training," Padres manager Craig Stammen recently said of France. "We knew Ty is a great baseball player. He's been in the big leagues for a really long time. We knew he's a solid player. He's going to play great first base and give you really good at-bats. Did we see him hitting four-hole and leading our offense the way he is? I don't think so."
Defensively, France is positioned to win his second consecutive Gold Glove award, recording a .996 fielding percentage and 7 Outs Above Average, according to Baseball Savant. His 12 Defensive Runs Saved lead all MLB first baseman.
France's play has him in position to sign the first multi-year deal of his career. Since being drafted in the 34th round of the 2015 MLB Draft, France has been on low-value single-season deals after making his debut for the Padres in 2019. Now, he'll balance a desire to remain in San Diego with his desire to earn proper compensation.
"I think from the beginning of last offseason, [the Padres] know how I feel about being here and the want to be here," France told The Athletic's Dennis Lin regarding his impending free agency. "But at the end of the day, it's their decision. We're open to conversation, but there's also a bigger picture, trying to fight for a playoff spot and finish the year strong."
For a team that has had an up-and-down season, France's presence in the clubhouse has had a positive impact as the Padres fight for a wild-card spot.
"He's been around a lot of different clubhouses," Stammen said. "He was here when he was a young player, and he's fitting in with the guys that he's played with in the past. And I think he's taken things from the other places that he's been - Toronto last year, Minnesota last year, Cincinnati, Seattle - and brought some of that fun and that energy and that leadership into our clubhouse, and I think his influence on those guys is pretty amazing."
While France's impact in the clubhouse is immeasurable, his performance at the plate has clearly impacted the Padres. It was his home run in the first inning on Friday night against the Minnesota Twins that launched a nine-hit, 6-2 win in what would be the first of a three-game sweep.
Because of his increased offensive production and continued reliability as an infielder, France will have options this offseason. The Padres, with an ownership group that has expressed their willingness to spend, might be inclined to lock down their unexpected star.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/padres/onsi as Padres' Ty France Addresses Future in San Diego as Free Agency Looms .
