If there’s one box the Yankees still need to check this offseason, it’s finding a right-handed bat to balance out their lefty-heavy lineup. And right now, Ty France is a name that continues to surface in that conversation.
France, who wrapped up his 2025 season with the World Series runner-up Blue Jays, brings exactly what the Yankees are looking for from a lineup construction standpoint: a right-handed hitter with a track record of handling left-handed pitching. According to multiple reports, the Yankees remain in contact with the veteran first baseman, though they’re not alone - other teams, including a few out west and even the crosstown Mets, are reportedly in the mix.
France isn’t a flashy name, but he’s quietly built a solid résumé. He split last season between the Twins and Blue Jays, finishing with a .257 average and a .681 OPS. Not eye-popping numbers, but when you dig into his splits, he’s consistently shown more life against southpaws - something the Yankees could use in a lineup that leans heavily to the left.
Over his career, France owns a .262 average and a .735 OPS, with his peak coming in 2022 when he earned an All-Star nod with the Mariners. That year, he posted 27 doubles, 20 home runs, and 83 RBI - production that would fit nicely in the lower-middle part of a Yankees order. He’s also evolved defensively, transitioning from a utility infield role into a dependable everyday first baseman, a shift that paid off with a Gold Glove in 2025.
Right now, the Yankees have Ben Rice penciled in for most of the first base duties - a promising young player, but another lefty bat. The team has floated the idea of giving Amed Rosario some reps at first during spring training, despite him never playing the position, just to get a right-handed option in the mix.
But that’s more of a patchwork solution. France would offer a much cleaner fit - a righty with experience, defensive reliability, and enough pop to keep pitchers honest.
This isn’t a blockbuster move in the making, but it’s the kind of under-the-radar addition that could pay dividends over a long season. France may not be a game-changer, but he’s arguably the best remaining option of his type on the market. That’s why interest is picking up, and why the Yankees might need to outbid a few others if they want to bring him to the Bronx.
In a winter where the Yankees have already made some big swings, this would be more of a contact hit - but a timely one that could help balance the lineup and solidify the infield depth.