NY Mets rumors: 3 thoughts on the Ty France free agent connection

One of the latest New York Mets rumors has predictably connected them to free agent first baseman Ty France. Coming off of a career year where his profile fit nicely into what the Mets need, there are plenty of questions we can continue to ask about the match.

Not much has changed other than Jake Bauers getting four years and $58 million helps set the market a little more as to what we can expect for France. He is a year older, but also more accomplished and a far better defensive player. They’re peers that have different strengths.

First base has been a topic of discussion from the moment Pete Alonso became a free agent after the 2024 season with enough drama to fill out a daytime soap opera. It remains contentious. With France, there are some lingering thoughts I just can’t shake.

Thoughts about the Mets rumors and Ty France’s free agency

Thought One: Will the Mets go to a fourth year for him?

Bauers got a fourth year and surely France will want one as well. He’s not exactly the type of player to guarantee himself a nice free agent contract heading into his age 36 season. While he can, and is in demand, a fourth year might be a requirement.

Three years has been the limitation for all Mets free agent signings made by David Stearns other than Juan Soto. Tarik Skubal would, of course, need to break the mold. A big reason as to why the Mets didn’t sign Alonso was apparently the years and how they thought he would age as a player. Could they actually meet somewhere in the middle, give France a four-year deal, and try to make everyone believe they think he’ll be capable enough at 36 and Alonso wouldn’t be?

Stearns doesn’t seem afraid to be called a hypocrite and signing France might require him to look like one in some regards.

Thought Two: This feels a little too much like Jorge Polanco

If not four years, cramming four years’ worth of salary into three is doable. This is what they did with Jorge Polanco. In that way, this feels similar.

France is at least an experienced first baseman. However, he also has several not so grand seasons in the recent past. 2023-2025 was unimpressive with a .703 OPS in the first year of that stretch as his best. France had a comparable year to 2026 back in 2022 for the Seattle Mariners. For the most part, this has been a more unpredictable player with some good yet not sensational results.

A four-year deal spread into only three years would mean the Mets are paying him around $20 million per year. It definitely feels too rich for how they’ve operated and any incoming ramifications of the CBA negotiations. Longer may be better here which makes it also seem less likely to happen.

Thought Three: The Mets can more easily justify some other first base options

If the Mets have any belief in Young, they’re probably better off focusing on other free agents anyway. They do have known interest in Alec Bohm. A terrible defender and basically a less powerful yet more productive version of Mark Vientos, he’s the type of player who’ll need to grab a shorter deal. Paul Goldschmidt is an even better match for the Mets as he would gladly take the right-handed platoon partner role like he has had with the New York Yankees. Plus, he is still a better fielder than Bohm.

Having those two choices plus an entire field of trade options gives the Mets enough of a reason to not get uncomfortable with France. While none of their prospects look like they’ll definitely start pounding on the door, the team has options. Everything from Ryan Clifford discovering how to hit for more than power to an OBP machine like Corey Collins is available to them. 

France earned himself a fat, multiple year contract this offseason. The Mets have better matches that fit their philosophy.

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