The Reds introduced Monday that they’ve acquired first baseman Ty France and money from the Mariners in change for minor league catcher Andruw Salcedo. Seattle designated France for project final week. Cincinnati additionally positioned catcher Austin Wynns on the 10-day injured listing resulting from a lat pressure, chosen the contract of catcher Eric Yang from Triple-A Louisville and transferred righty Graham Ashcraft to the 60-day IL to open a 40-man spot. Their 40-man roster is now at capability.
Coming into the season, the notion of the Reds buying a primary baseman would’ve appeared foolish. Cincinnati had an infield surplus and a specific glut of first basemen, with Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Spencer Steer and offseason signee Jeimer Candelario all standing as choices on the place. Nevertheless, Encarnacion-Strand’s season ended early resulting from wrist surgical procedure, whereas Strand has seen important time within the outfield. Candelario has spent a lot of the yr at third base however has been at first base extra steadily since Noelvi Marte returned from an 80-game PED suspension. France figures to slip in at first base — definitely in opposition to left-handed pitching — whereas Candelario might see elevated time at designated hitter.
Initially drafted by the Padres, France went to Seattle alongside Andres Munoz within the 2020 commerce that despatched catcher Austin Nola from Seattle to San Diego. He broke out instantly with the M’s and for a number of seasons was considered one of their most efficient hitters — even incomes a well-deserved All-Star nod in 2022. From 2020-22, France posted a mixed .285/.355/.443 batting line. He belted 42 homers regardless of enjoying within the sport’s most pitcher-friendly park, including 68 doubles and three triples alongside the best way. He didn’t stroll a lot (6.5%) but additionally went down on strikes in solely 16.7% of his plate appearances.
France’s bat took a step again in 2023, when he hit .250/.337/.366 with a dozen homers. His bat-to-ball expertise remained sturdy, nonetheless, and his batted-ball metrics remained consistent with people who he’d posted throughout that sturdy 2020-22 run. A dip in his homer-to-flyball price was no less than partially responsible, and the Mariners tendered France a contract regardless of the down yr, understandably betting on his monitor document and the ostensibly fluky nature of his ’23 downturn.
The rebound the M’s had anticipated by no means manifested, sadly, and this yr’s struggles are extra alarming. France’s contact expertise have dipped noticeably. After making contact on 91.2% of pitches within the strike zone within the three previous seasons, his contact price on balls within the zone has dropped to 87%. He’s chased off the plate much less but additionally swung much less usually as effectively, dropping from a 52.5% swing price to a 48% mark. As he’s gotten extra passive and made contact within the zone much less typically, pitchers have attacked him extra (58% first-pitch strike price in 2021-23; 61.2% in ’24). The change in strategy hasn’t labored out, as France’s strikeout price has spiked to a career-worst 24.4%.
The Reds, in dire want of an offensive jolt, will ship a low-level catching prospect to the Mariners in hope of turning France round. He’ll transfer from one of many worst settings for a hitter (Seattle’s T-Cell Park) to among the best (Cincinnati’s Nice American Ball Park) — and that swap alone ought to assist France within the energy division. The Reds will hope that the change in surroundings and a few new teaching enter and new knowledge from their entrance workplace may help France get again to his prior type. They’ve acquired an terrible .215/.266/.363 slash from their first basemen this season, so France could have a low bar to clear with regards to offering an improve..
If France is certainly capable of return to type — or no less than extra carefully approximate his peak type — he’ll be a multi-year choice for Cincinnati. He’s not at the moment signed to a contract for the 2025 season however is arbitration-eligible one closing time this winter. The Reds would owe him a elevate on this yr’s $6.775MM wage, although his early struggles in Seattle ought to tamp down the load of any wage enhance and maintain him shy of $10MM. If not, France could be a commerce or (likelier) non-tender candidate within the offseason.
Extra to come back.
