NEW YORK – The New York Yankees have a clear need. They want right-handed depth. They want defensive reliability. They want a low-cost addition before spring training opens in less than two weeks.
Ty France checks every box. He won the 2025 American League Gold Glove at first base. He is a former All-Star with playoff experience from last fall’s World Series run with Toronto. He comes cheap after signing a $1 million deal with Minnesota last winter.
Yet here is the catch. France’s bat has vanished. His power numbers have cratered. And the Yankees must decide whether elite defense alone justifies adding another player to a roster already fighting luxury tax concerns.
Multiple teams circle the Gold Glove winner
MassLive reporter Chris Cotillo broke the news Sunday that France has drawn interest from several MLB clubs. The Yankees sit among them. So do their crosstown rivals, the New York Mets. The Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres round out the list of known suitors.
“As reported last night, Diamondbacks are in on Carlos Santana as a free agent 1B target,” Cotillo wrote on X. “They’ve also talked to Ty France, per source, though France has a robust market. Mets and Yankees have been involved with him, plus Padres and others. That market is moving.”
The market has thinned considerably since late January. Luis Arraez signed with the San Francisco Giants last weekend. He will play second base there. That leaves France, Paul Goldschmidt and Carlos Santana as the top first base options still available.
Defense tells one story, offense tells another
France transformed himself defensively in 2025. He posted 10 Outs Above Average at first base. That led all MLB first basemen. He added nine Defensive Runs Saved. Only Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves ranked higher in Fielding Run Value among players at the position.
This marked a stunning turnaround. France recorded minus-12 OAA in 2024. He struggled with the Cincinnati Reds that year before the Twins signed him for a non-guaranteed deal. Something clicked in Minnesota. His footwork improved. His range expanded. He earned his first career Gold Glove in November.
His bat tells a different tale. France slashed .257/.320/.360 across 138 games split between the Twins and Blue Jays. He hit just seven home runs. His 88 OPS+ ranked well below league average. The 31-year-old has not posted a wRC+ above 100 since 2023.
He was an All-Star in 2022 with Seattle. He hit 20 homers that season. He has managed just 27 combined home runs over the three seasons since.
Yankees have a first baseman, but need platoon options
Ben Rice enters 2026 as the Yankees’ primary first baseman. Manager Aaron Boone made that clear after the season ended. Rice broke out last year with 26 home runs, a .255 batting average and an .836 OPS across 530 plate appearances.
Rice bats left-handed. He struggled against southpaws in 2025. He hit .208 in 119 plate appearances versus lefties. That creates an opening for a right-handed platoon partner.
France would seem to fit that role. Yet even his splits against lefties raise concerns. He posted a .680 OPS and .771 expected OPS against left-handed pitching over the past two MLB seasons. Those numbers sit far below what the Yankees need from a platoon bat.
Ryan Garcia of Empire Sports Media offered a measured take on X. “Elite defender at 1B with a bat that projects as above-average vs LHP, I’ll take it for cheap,” he wrote. The key phrase sits at the end. For cheap.
Yankees must weigh cost against competition
The Yankees face heavy luxury tax penalties. They cannot spend freely. Every dollar matters. France would cost a fraction of what Goldschmidt might command. That alone makes him attractive.
The Mets add another wrinkle. Steve Cohen’s team has shown interest in France too. New York’s two MLB franchises have already battled over Cody Bellinger and Framber Valdez this winter. Adding France to that list would extend their rivalry into the bargain bin.
The Yankees ranked first in MLB against left-handed pitching in 2025. They posted a collective .797 OPS versus southpaws. They led the league in slugging percentage and home runs against lefties. They can afford to add a weaker bat if the glove provides value.
France appeared in two World Series games for Toronto last fall. The Blue Jays lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games. He went 1-for-4 in that series. He knows October baseball.
Spring training looms with decisions ahead
Yankees pitchers and catchers report to Tampa in 10 days. Position players follow shortly after. Brian Cashman has limited time to finalize his bench.
France offers proven defense. He offers playoff experience. He offers affordability. What he does not offer is the bat he once had. His All-Star days appear behind him. His power stroke has evaporated.
The Yankees must decide what they value more. Do they want a Gold Glove defender who can spell Rice against lefties? Or do they chase Goldschmidt, who hit .336 against southpaws last season but costs more and plays worse defense?
France brings answers to the Bronx. He also brings questions. Whether those questions matter depends entirely on how the Yankees define his role.
Late-inning defensive replacement? He fits perfectly. Everyday platoon bat? The numbers suggest otherwise. The market is moving, Cotillo reported. The Yankees must move with it or watch France land elsewhere.
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