GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Ty France knew when he signed a minor-league deal with the Padres that he had to essentially knock down the door to make it into the Padres clubhouse come opening day.
He is certainly taking his swings.
The San Diego State product’s third double of the spring in a 7-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians upped his batting average to .375 and his OPS to .944 in 27 plate appearances.
France will likely have a job somewhere if he keeps it up. That job might even be with the Padres.
“Three excellent at-bats today,” manager Craig Stammen said after France lined out to center field at 108 mph and grounded into a double play at 109 mph in addition to his 105 mph double. “He needs to keep swinging like he did today. If you can hit, we’ll find a place for you.”
Stammen indicated France will get more time at second and third base, so the Padres can evaluate his work there.
France has so far shown just about all of his skillset, which is considerable but also limited.
He is a smart, difficult at-bat, can drive the ball and is a good first baseman and is serviceable at two other infield positions. The major league leader in being hit by pitches since his debut in 2019 (126 times!) has been plunked once this spring in addition to tying Jose Miranda with a team-high nine hits. France has also walked twice.
But the fact he doesn’t run fast or provide the kind of defense the Padres likely desire in a utility player at the end of the bench and the fact the Padres have an abundance of corner infielders make his roster bid a longshot.
While he was an All-Star for the Seattle Mariners in 2022 and last season won a Gold Glove for the Minnesota Twins and played in the World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays, being a longshot is sort of France’s thing.
“I can go back as far as high school, where I didn’t get picked for the Perfect Game stuff and I didn’t get picked for Area Code (games),” he said. “College, I was a 34th-round draft pick. I’ve always had that little chip on my shoulder to go out and prove people wrong. Nothing about me as a player is, ‘Wow!’ I do a lot of things really good.’ I don’t do one thing really, really great. So I feel like I have to come in every single day and prove myself.”
France was traded to Seattle at the 2020 deadline, traded to the Cincinnati Reds at the deadline in ‘24, let go by the Reds after that season, signed a non-guaranteed major league deal with the Twins early in spring training of ‘25 and was traded to the Blue Jays at the deadline last year.
He is a career .262/.334/.400 hitter and batted .257/.320/.360 in 2025.
Since he has six years of service time and finished last season on a 40-man roster, France has the right to opt out of his deal with the Padres on March 21. Should he not leave then, he can opt out May 1 or June 1.
But the Huntington Beach resident chose this spring to return to the organization he called home, back to the team that drafted him in 2015 and with which he made his major league debut in 2019. He would love to play alongside old pals Jake Cronenworth and Fernando Tatis Jr.
He is doing all he can to make that happen.
“I feel like that’s how I’ve always treated spring training is — even when I knew I was going to make the roster, I treated it as I have to come in here and win a job,” he said. “This is a competitive game, and it can be taken away from you at any point. So you feel like you have to come in here every single day and fight for a job no matter where you’re at.”
Rotation equation
All five pitchers battling for what is likely the final spot in the rotation worked in games on Thursday and Friday.
The job remains up for grabs. Arguably, all five competitors had their best outings of the spring over the two days.
“Really productive couple days for us,” Stammen said. “They all kind of showed who they were a little bit. They all showed that one, two, three outings, getting better, getting better, getting better. And so it’s gonna be a tight competition all the way to the end.”
While they have indicated it is unlikely and they have just six games in the season’s first eight days, it is possible the Padres open the season with six starters or go to six starters for a time in early April.
Whether it is five or six, the Padres consider themselves a World Series contender and won’t be basing their decision on a player’s contract or status. Which pitcher(s) they believe gives them the best chance to win the most games will be in the rotation.
But where each of the five stands in terms of being able to be sent to the minor leagues is worth noting, as it could affect how the Padres assemble their depth.
Walker Buehler: In camp on a minor-league contract that will pay him $1.5 million if he is in the major leagues (plus an additional $2.5 million available in bonuses based on time on the active roster). Buehler can opt out March 21 if he is not on the Padres’ major league roster. He also has opt-outs on May 1 and June 1.
Germán Márquez: Signed a one-year, $1.75 million contract that is guaranteed, with a potential $3.25 million more in performance escalators. He would have to consent to a minor-league assignment.
Marco Gonzales: Signed a minor-league contract that would pay him $1.5 million if he makes the team (plus performance bonuses). If not on the active roster, he has a release clause that allows him to opt out to join another team’s active roster at the end of spring.
Triston McKenzie: Signed a minor-league contract that would pay him $1 million if he makes the team, plus performance bonuses. He can be sent to the minor leagues with the ability to opt out in June if he has not been called up.
JP Sears: Under contract for $2.75 million in 2026 after being acquired at the trade deadline last year. He can be optioned to the minor leagues.
There is time for all five pitchers to make more appearances before camp breaks.
“I like the direction they’re heading,” pitching coach Ruben Niebla said. “It’s gonna make it so interesting at the end. We have some tough decisions, and that’s what we want.”
Song update
The Padres are encouraged that Sung-Mun Song’s oblique discomfort appears to be lessening each day.
“I think they’re going to try to get him moving around here today,” Stammen said Saturday morning. “We’ll see when (he starts) swinging a bat.”
The Padres are hopeful Song will be able to return to Cactus League games, which would seem to indicate he can be ready for the season. However, plans for him to expand his defensive repertoire to left field have been put on hold.
“Hopefully we can keep moving him around the diamond in those last few games that we get him here in Peoria,” Stammen said of Song, who has played second and third base and shortstop. “And then see what that looks like going forward.”