The Padres have told first baseman Ty France that he has made the Opening Day roster, the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Kevin Acee reports. France will need to have his contract officially selected before the Padres take the field on March 26, but the team has an open space on its 40-man roster.
As per the terms of the minor league contract France signed last month, he’ll earn a $1.35MM salary for making San Diego’s roster. It also officially completes the full-circle nature of France’s signing, as he was drafted by the Padres (as a 34th-round pick) in 2015 and he broke into the majors with the club in 2019.
Now 31 years old, France returns to the Padres as the AL’s reigning Gold Glove winner at first base, and with a track record as a pretty solid regular during his time with the Mariners. Over the last two seasons, however, France’s offense has dipped to a subpar .245/.312/.363 over 1025 plate appearances with the Mariners, Twins, Mariners, and Blue Jays.
Some big numbers in camp helped France earn his spot on the 26-man, and his selection also just about ensures that Sung-Mun Song will begin the season on the 10-day injured list. Song has been battling oblique tightness and only resumed swinging a bat this past week, so he’ll need more time to get fully prepared for his debut in North American baseball.
Song’s injury created room for France, even if he’ll join a crowded first base picture. Gavin Sheets is ostensibly the starting first baseman but he probably won’t face much left-handed pitching, allowing room for France, Miguel Andujar, or newly-converted first baseman Nick Castellanos (all righty bats) to get playing time. The DH spot is also a revolving door in San Diego, giving the team more leeway in finding at-bats for all of these players.
As an Article XX(B) free agent, France has the ability to exercise the first of three opt-out dates in his minor league contract this weekend if the Padres didn’t add him to the 40-man roster. It isn’t known if France actually triggered his opt-out or if the Padres added him to the roster in advance of any decision, but the end result is that France is now sticking around in San Diego.
No backup middle infielders making the team?
Yeah, that is an issue. France can probably be stretched to 2b, he played one game there last year. Sung Mun Song played 1b, 2b, and 3b in Korea, and SD has deployed him at SS in spring training.
Freddie Fermin played one inning of 2b last season, lol. Perhaps Tatis and Jackson Merrill can dabble in the infield this season. If Bogaerts needs a day off or has to leave a game, I would imagine Cronenworth plays SS, and someone else plays 2b
Cronenworth would slide over to SS. Realistically though, if Song is only out for a couple of weeks, he’d probably only have to play SS 1-2 times..unless Bogy gets hurt.
Your writing is very unclear.
It seems as if you think that Song is the #2 shortstop behind Bogaerts. I am unsure about that. Cronenworth played 13 games at SS for SD last year. Before this spring training, Song had not played SS since middle school.
Yeah, Song won’t play SS in 2026. Croney is the only backup at SS, but who is Cronenworth’s backup at 2b while Song is out? I guess it’s France.
I remember when everyone was complaining that SD was nothing but shortstops.
Yeah, and aren’t all of those shortstops still on the team?
Machado, Bogaerts, Cronenworth, Tatis, Merrill.
Only Bogaerts and Cronenworth are guaranteed to play SS this year. I suppose it is possible that Machado makes a cameo, or even Tatis or Merrill. In 2023, an OFer, and made a random appearance at 2b. Weirdly, Freddy Fermin appeared at 2b last year for KC.
No Abrams, no Nola… but otherwise the gang’s all here!
David Morgan used to play SS, so there’s that
It would help to have a 37-player roster.
Waste of money
France is going to be a slam dunk Hall of Good inductee
Drinking again?
Idk, HOPG voters can be pretty finicky with low WAR guys, even though France deserves a spot.
In JRam’s defense, he did say Hall of Good not Pretty Good! 🤣🍻
Ty absolutely does not deserve a spot. If he just stayed on the path he was on ‘22 he probably would’ve had a great career. But no guy had to try and fail miserably at becoming a power hitter with little power.
France, Andujar, and Castellanos on the same bench is pretty wild. And then you look at the Angels bench and they got Frazier, Candelario, d’Arnaud, and Oswaldo Peraza. My two favorite benches in the sport. Southern California is a great place to retire when you’re old.
Times have changed regarding aging players.
In 2005, the Padres had Phil Nevin, Brian Giles, and Ryan Klesko, all 34. Manager Bruce Bochy said, “Nobody is getting old.” I suppose he said that to ward off worries about their age, but no manager would say that now.
In 2007, I remember the Mets had 4 guys in their 40s in the starting lineup: 3b Jeff Conine, SP Tom Glavine, C Sandy Alomar Jr., LF Moises Alou.
In 2009, the Yankees won the WS with 6 regulars over age 35: Jeter, Damon, Posada, Matsui, Pettitte, Rivera.
I didn’t love the Castellanos signing even putting aside the Philly clubhouse stuff because Andujar seems to fill the exact same role but better. France is really tripling down, but Song shouldn’t be gone long so kind of a moot point
So much for the Padres roster being comprised of only SSs. Sure hope Bogey stays healthy!
Best career with a country as a surname? I’d go with Mark Portugal over France or Jonathan India, but maybe there’s somebody I’m forgetting.
Enos “Country” Slaughter scoffs at your rules…
Also Brian Jordan is probably the best.
Germany Smith would like a word. (1884-1898) 21.6 career WAR
He doesn’t count because it’s not his surname. Otherwise you might have to consider Chad Curtis and nobody wants to do that. Or Turkey Mike Donlin or Turkey Stearns.
But if we count NFL then maybe Ron Mexico?
Actually if football counts then Brian Jordan is definitely correct.
“Dutch” Lenoard
For roster depth the Padres go to FRANCE !!
Derek Holland?
Greg Holland had a better career, but I think you win with Brian Jordan.
LFGSD, we got Gold Gloves chillin’ in platoons… welcome home Ty!
AJ is playing chess with a team loaded with rooks and bishops, ie corner IFs, with no more stinkeeen pawns, no no no yes yes yes it’s qeeens gambit on doyers
Every season Preller selects a veteran that proves to be useless while losing someone to waivers that could be. Will that be Buehler, France or both this season?
Happy for France but realistically can’t see him (or possibly Castellanos) stickin around once Song is back.
Once Song returns, Castellanos is probably the odd player out — especially if he gets off to a slow start with the bat. Ty has the more flexible contract.
I prefer the power upside of Castellanos but everything else I like more about France. Unless Castellanos can show some BB% improvements I’d be happy to move on.