According to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, the Twins are among the teams that have checked in with the Mariners regarding outfielder Teoscar Hernandez and infielder Ty France in their search for a right-handed bat.
Adding some right-handed thump to the lineup is a sensible choice for Minnesota. The Twins’ collective 82 wRC+ against southpaws this season is better than only the Rockies in MLB, so an additional righty bat to go along with Donovan Solano against left-handed pitching could provide a boost to their lineup, particularly with Jose Miranda and Royce Lewis on the injured list. While both Hernandez (93 wRC+) and France (98 wRC+) are having down seasons relative to their career norms, both players are still crushing left-handed pitching this year, with wRC+ figures of 142 and 129, respectively.
As a rental, Hernandez figures to be the cheaper bat in terms of acquisition cost, though he’d join an already-crowded outfield mix in Minnesota that already features Joey Gallo, Michael A. Taylor, Max Kepler, Trevor Larnach, and Matt Wallner, to say nothing of the possibility that Byron Buxton gets healthy enough to return to center field at some point this season. What’s more, Hernandez leads the majors in strikeouts this season, and adding another whiff-prone bat to a lineup that already includes Gallo further muddies the fit between Minnesota and the 30-year-old slugger.
That could leave France as the cleaner fit in Minnesota, where he would provide the Twins with a long term, right-handed complement to Alex Kirilloff at first base that they’ve been searching for since the offseason. While France also has experience at second and third base in his career, given the club’s abundant options at the position (including Solano, Kyle Farmer, Edouard Julien, and Jorge Polanco) it seems likely France’s playing time would primarily come at his natural position of first base.
Twins can have the strikeout king for a box of Twinkies
I think he’s going to be traded back to Toronto and that the return will actually be decent (albeit not as much as we gave up for him).
I am with you on that one. He needs to go back to Toronto.
Interesting.
Twins FO is clueless. Adding another outfielder who strikes out all the time is not remotely the answer
I like Teoscar back to Toronto to be honest. France would be a good fit for Phillies. (coming for a Braves fan)
Definitely read it for a sec as acquiring
Why would the Mariners trade France? I don’t get that. What is the FO thinking?
Down year but i agree with you why sell on him, they don’t have anyone coming up to fill that hole either.
Ty France is the 2nd worst player this year in Seattle lineup.
France is a screw off. He took the offseason off, and it shows on the field. If he hits the ball on the ground (which happens frequently) it is a guaranteed double play because of how slow he is. I can’t take watching “Mr. Ground into a Double Play on the First or Second Pitch” any longer.
If France was in a boat in the middle of Lake Michigan and was knocked out by a wave, he couldn’t hit water.
So… a dude who has a track record of playing through wrist and hand injuries from being one of MLB’s leaders in HBP every year couldn’t hit water?
The same guy who hit .309/.377/.491 in 2020* .291/.368/.445 in 2021 and .276/.340/.437 in 2022 has a couple bad mo’s and he’s suddenly garbage?
Nope not buying it. This guy was the Mariners best hitter for months on end over the last 2 plus seasons? The very same guy who in his last AAA stint before his debut hit .399/.477/.770 for an OPS of 1.247. Over 76 games!! I dont care that it was a hitters park in El Paso those are gaudy numbers which just go to show the pure potential in that bat.
The 23 version of Ty France is not the same as the 2021-22 version. M’s picked up Canzone from the Snakes, so it makes sense.
Don’t do it, Twins. Guy’s are washed up and should be playing AAA-ball.
Which is why the Twins would come calling in the first place.
Ty France for Edouard Julien?:
Lol
we will give you France AND Teo for Julien please!!
PLEEEAAASE!!! would give up Teo + lower level prospect to get him as well!
No
If the Twins can swap either Joey Gallo or Max Kepler for Teoscar Hernandez or Ty France, then do it.
Activate Dallas Keuchel.
If you can’t unload Sonny Gray for a boatload of prospects, then go to a six man rotation for the remainder of the season, and stop wearing down Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez , Bailey Ober and Kenta Maeda.
Don’t root for the Twins, but just as a baseball fan it’s disappointing to see Buxton not able to stay healthy.
Id I was the mariners I wouldn’t give up TY France. I know he’s had a rough year but he’s been great in the past. The mariners are in a position to compete next year and France is controllable for 2 and a half years.
The Twins need to be showing some players the door for whatever they can get for them. This is not a playoff contender and to add players and further give up future prospects would be stupid.
Sonny Gray would have signed an extension by now if he was going to do it. So he should 100% be moved and should command 2 good prospects back. They should also look to acquire a bullpen arm with at least two years of control instead of a prospect if possible.
Kenta Maeda can also be moved and could command maybe a prospect or a bullpen arm with at least two years of control..
Max Kepler should be moved to any of several teams looking to sure up a left handed great defensive bench spot. The Twins should be happy to get a lottery pick type prospect in return.
Jorge Polanco – See above, except he’s a switch hitter.
Joey Gallo just needs to be cut as there is literally no market for him.
Anyone in the bullpen not named Duran and Jax should be made available.
Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach need to be in the lineup everyday from this day forward.
Twins (54-54) buying from Seattle (55-51) is a hilarious artifact of how broken the MLB division system is.
I would be stunned to see Ty traded, much more so if Logan is moved. Teo odds are 65-35 he gets moved, Ty 30-70, Logan 10-90. I would only trade Logan for a Gleber Torres
I totally agree with everything there except I see the odds of Teo sent packing more like 90-10. Logan is only going for a big name bat and I just don’t see anyone willing to pay his price. That and I want to believe Dipoto actually wants our team to fight for the Playoffs this yr. Imo If he does really want that he won’t move Logan. How far can you go with a Rotation of Castillo, Kirby, 2 Rookies and Marco Gonzales?
Ty France’s natural position is not first base. He was drafted out of San Diego State as a third baseman.
France had shown some chink in his armor last year. I wouldn’t think this is the beginning of the end for him most players have a rut that they can go through. but yes it does cause a disruption in service.