The New York Mets are reportedly hunting for a first baseman, with their General Manager David Stearns specifically looking to upgrade that spot, either with a full-time starter or a platoon partner for Jared Young. Two names have popped up on their radar: Alec Bohm and former Mariner Ty France.
The Ty France Comeback Nobody Saw Coming (Especially Us)
Remember Ty France? Yeah, the guy who started his career so strong, even made an All-Star team in 2022, then totally fell off a cliff? Well, get this: France just wrapped up the best offensive year of his entire career in 2026 with the Padres. The dude batted .295 with a .363 on-base percentage and a .502 slugging percentage. He clubbed 21 home runs and smacked 24 doubles. After what felt like ages in the baseball wilderness, our guy found his swing again.
It’s wild to think about what went down after that 2022 All-Star nod. France signed a $6.68 million deal with our very own Mariners ahead of the 2024 season, and it just didn’t work out. He was on outright waivers by July, putting up a brutal -0.2 bWAR before bouncing to the Reds for the rest of that season. Then 2025 was a bit better, split between the Twins and Blue Jays, but it wasn’t until he went back to the Padres, the team he started with, on a minor league deal that he absolutely exploded in 2026. He’s about to hit his age 32 season, and honestly, he’s probably looking at the biggest payday of his career after that kind of comeback. You gotta respect the grind, even if it didn’t work out here in the Emerald City.
Bohm’s Struggles and the Mets’ First Base Puzzle
While France is riding high, Alec Bohm is in a completely different spot. His time with the Phillies has seen most of the luster fade from what was once a solid, albeit unspectacular, big league career. His 2026 stats came in at .249/.315/.383 with 15 home runs, which frankly looks “miraculous” when you consider he was rocking a .433 OPS through the first six weeks of the season. Ouch.
Bohm also isn’t exactly a natural at first base; the source even says calling him “natural at any position” is a stretch. But hey, after his “butchery at third base,” a move to first actually makes a lot of sense for him. He logged 424.2 innings at first base in 2026, made six errors, and put up one Defensive Runs Saved Above Average. The Mets already have Jared Young, who impressed last season when Pete Alonso left and Jorge Polanco was, let’s just say, a non-entity. Young batted .266/.330/.429 and played 641.2 innings at first. There’s a slim chance Polanco could get another look at first, but it feels like he’s probably a DH or bust for 2027.
So, the Mets have a decision to make. Do they go for the hot-hitting, comeback story in France, who’s looking for a big contract? Or do they take a chance on Bohm, hoping a position change sparks something? It’s going to be interesting to watch what happens this offseason.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Amazin’ Avenue.
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