"France has still been making contact at an above-average rate, but his hard-contact rates are middling at best and he has never taken many walks. Defensively, France's glovework had cratered in the view of public metrics before he rebounded out of nowhere to post +10 Outs Above Average and +9 Defensive Runs Saved over 976 2/3 innings at first base in 2025, resulting in his first Gold Glove."
"After batting .285/.355/.443 over 1418 PA during the 2020-22 seasons, France went from a 129 wRC+ over those three years to a 106 wRC+ in 2023, and a 93 wRC+ over the last two seasons. France is a right-handed hitter without a platoon split, as his numbers against right-handed and left-handed pitching are basically identical over his career. Teams in the market for a right-handed hitting first base complement might prefer more of a clear-cut righty masher, though France's newfound defensive capability is a bonus."
"The same would be true in Queens, as the Mets plan to use Jorge Polanco as the starting first baseman, plus Mark Vientos and will be either at DH, or in the field when Polanco or any of the other Mets veterans are getting a DH day. Having an experienced first baseman like France would be helpful for the Mets, considering that Polanco has played only one MLB game at first base."
France is a free agent first baseman who won an AL Gold Glove after a defensive rebound that produced +10 OAA and +9 DRS over 976 2/3 innings at first base in 2025. His offense declined from .285/.355/.443 over 1418 PA in 2020-22 to .257/.320/.360 with seven homers over 490 PA split between the Twins and Blue Jays. France's wRC+ fell from 129 to 106 in 2023 and 93 over the last two seasons. He makes above-average contact, posts middling hard-contact rates, and takes few walks. France is a right-handed hitter without a platoon split, making him a defensive-first, part-time complement for teams like the Yankees, Mets, Diamondbacks, and Padres.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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