It Sounds Like the Twins Have Big Plans for Ty France

For the first time in his career, Ty France navigated the free agency process. The resulting contract – a non-guaranteed deal worth $1M – reflects the ups and downs that free agency holds for the majority of MLB players. But long before he signed on the dotted line, the 30-year-old first baseman felt early on that the Minnesota Twins were the right fit.

“They run a lot of different lineups out and play a lot of matchups,” France explained. “They had Carlos [Santana] here last year, who did a great job, and lost him in free agency. Saw an opening there.”

Finding the right fit was important because France is trying to rebound from back-to-back difficult seasons. The easy explanation for his 2024 numbers—a triple slash of .234/.305/.365—is a hairline fracture in his heel that he suffered early in June last year. Before the injury, his OPS was 734. Following that, he posted a 621.

“I don’t want to put all the blame on that,” said France. “There was a lot that went into it.”

Instead, France focuses on a more self-inflicted problem. After struggling in 2023, he tried a swing overhaul heading into 2024. It didn’t work, and he admitted he let panic dictate his adjustments.

“So my first four years in the big leagues had really, really good, strong seasons. Then in ’23, numbers dipped a little bit, and I shouldn't have, but I panicked a little because I wasn't used to that, you know, kind of production,” reflected France. “So I was like, ‘Okay, how can I get back to being my old self’ … and kind of got lost.”

France dove into mechanics and analytics but soon realized that wasn’t his style.

“There was a lot of it - the analytical side - where I tried to tap into, that I shouldn't tap into,” he said. “I should just worry about being a baseball player and hitting the ball.”

Determined to rediscover his natural approach, France worked this offseason with former Twins infielder Denny Hocking. He also reflected on lessons from his youth when he worked with “Coach Gwynn.” That is Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn.

“He was very big on simplifying things,” France said. “When I’m at my best, I’m not focused on analytics. I’m just simplifying hitting.”

This can lead to another lesson that Gwynn taught him that France had to relearn: baseball should be fun.

“One of the things that I think kind of got lost the last year or two was he always preached, ‘This is a game, you’ve got to have fun,’” France said. “And the last year or two hasn’t been fun baseball for me. I think my time in Cincinnati last year, having that reset, I found that joy again.”

Towards that end, France insists he will not put extra pressure on himself, even though he’s playing on a non-guaranteed contract. “I’m not going to go out here and try and be something I’m not,” he said. “I’m going to go out and play my game. And if it aligns, great. If it doesn’t, it is what it is.”

The way Twins manager Rocco Baldelli talks about him, France need not worry about being left off the roster. Baldelli talks about him as if he’s already the everyday first baseman. “He’s going to play a lot,” Baldelli said Saturday afternoon. “That’s really the best way of saying it. The kind of hitter that he is, yeah, this isn’t a platoon situation. I think he’s going to play.”

For that reason, regardless of the amount or the terms of the contract they offered him, the Twins seem to be a great fit. Now he needs to show he’s a great fit for them as they try to recover from last season’s collapse. He knows just how he’s going to do it.

“When I simplify hitting and get back to being myself, I’m a pretty good hitter,” he said. “I’m just going to go out this year and play baseball instead of worrying about all the mechanical stuff.”