Another first base option in the Nats’ realm of possibility is off the board, as Josh Bell signed with the Minnesota Twins for 1 year, $7 million yesterday. The Nationals had not been linked to Bell this
offseason by anyone, but the possibility of him returning to man first base for them did exist. But in the end, the Nats did not make a play for him. If the Nationals decide that they will not pursue a first baseman this offseason, Luis Garcia Jr. has been taking reps at the position in the winter leagues and could be an option that would fill a need for the Nationals, as well as move him away from second base, where he graded out very poorly in 2025.
An under-the-radar free agent I would like the Nationals to pursue at first base is Ty France, who played 124 games at the position for the Twins and Blue Jays in 2025. Once a hot young name at first base in his years in Seattle, the 31-year-old France has bounced around the league a bit in the past few seasons, going from the Mariners to the Reds in 2024, to the Twins and Blue Jays this season. The results offensively remained similar over the past 2 seasons, posting a 93 wRC+ in 2024 and a 92 wRC+ in 2025, but there were 2 key differences that make France an intriguing free agent.
The first difference in France’s seasons was the fact that his 2025 underlying numbers were much better than his 2024 ones and his 2025 expected results, as shown by his .328 xwOBA and a .302 wOBA. This was a result of a few factors for France, most notable being an improved plate approach, getting more aggressive at the plate, which resulted in a higher chase rate but a lower whiff rate, and a much improved launch angle sweet spot percentage that was more in line with his career norm, allowing him to better tap into his power.
The second key difference in France’s seasons was the fact that he was an elite defender in 2025, whereas he was extremely poor in 2024 and practically all of his career. France racked up 10 Outs Above Average, ranking as the very best among all first basemen in baseball in 2025. While an impressive accomplishment, it’s even more astounding when you consider he ranked dead last among first basemen in OAA in 2024 with -12. How did France manage to go from worst to first in one season among big league defenders? I’m not sure.
Defense can be very volatile and hard to track, as seen by Luis Garcia Jr. being rated one of the best defending second basemen in baseball in 2024, and then one of the worst in 2025, but that doesn’t mean the improvements didn’t happen, as perhaps some coaching or advice France received in Minnesota or Toronto really turned around his game.
So if France had underlying numbers that suggest he’s at least a league-average bat, and he was one of the best defenders at first base in the league in 2025, why isn’t he a hotter commodity on the free agent market? The issue for France is one both of sample size and of teams’ needs. France has bounced around the league in obscurity for 2 years now, making him more of an afterthought in the minds of most baseball fans, even if his numbers suggest there is improvements that could be made.
He also carries with him a reputation of poor defense, one that it may take more than one strong defensive season to shake. Lastly, first base isn’t as large an area of need for many ballclubs, as 20 teams garnered as much or more fWAR from their first basemen as France put up in 2025, and many teams below that threshold would rather give their young players a chance.
This is where the Nationals have the opportunity to strike with France. Unlike many other ballclubs, the Nationals have no clear answer at first base for the near future (unless you’re higher on Yohandy Morales than I am), and can offer France the amount of playing time he is surely looking for. If their bet on France’s bat and defense pays off, they have an average to slightly above average bat with excellent defense for their infield, something they haven’t had in many years now. At 31 years old, France is young enough to stick around and play multiple seasons for the Nationals as well, especially at a position with less sharp of an aging curve like first base.
While I would like to see the Nationals make a run at other first base free agents such as Ryan O’Hearn and Rhys Hoskins, France would be a sneaky good pickup if they are unable to compete for those other players, which I expect it will be difficult to do so, as they fend off competitors for their services. With a little coaching and consistent playing time, I believe France could turn his underlying numbers from 2025 into success in 2026.
