Look, the 7-0 drubbing we just took from the Houston Astros was a gut punch, a brutal shutout that still stings. But as if that wasn’t enough to chew on, we’ve just been hit with another cold dose of reality regarding our first basemen for 2027: Ty France and TJ Rumfield, our guys, got absolutely left out of the early fantasy baseball rankings for the top 20 at the position.
First Base Is Loaded, But Where Are Our Guys?
If there’s one thing these early 2027 fantasy rankings make clear, it’s that first base is absolutely stacked. We’re talking about a surplus of talent unlike anywhere else in the league, even with big names like Kyle Schwarber, Yandy Diaz, Cody Bellinger, Tyler Soderstrom, Isaac Paredes, Kazuma Okamoto, and Luis Arraez losing their eligibility at the position. Nick Kurtz, from the Athletics, claims the top spot, and he’s a rare breed who can consistently deliver a near-1.000 OPS. It’s easy to look at his .256 batting average and think his strikeout rate caught up to him, but the man had a thumb sprain that ended his season early. Before that injury on June 18, he was batting .280 with a .951 OPS.
Right behind him, you’ve got Miguel Vargas of the Chicago White Sox at number two, making an easy call thanks to his third base eligibility. He apparently gained the largest average bat speed this year, and his power looks legitimate, with standout on-base ability and speed for a corner infielder. And then there’s Sal Stewart from the Cincinnati Reds at number three, another player boosted by third base eligibility. He might raise some eyebrows since his Baseball Savant page isn’t as flashy and his slash line doesn’t quite match his counting stats, but he still made a positive contribution across all five Rotisserie categories and has room to grow. This position is just overflowing with talent. Guys like Josh Naylor, Michael Busch, Kyle Stowers, and Spencer Steer, who are all standouts, don’t even make this top 20. That’s how deep it is!
Ty France and TJ Rumfield: Solid, But Not Enough for the Top Tier?
So, with all that depth, where do Ty France and TJ Rumfield fit in? According to the rankings, they “have both been solid in 2026 but never had a hope of cracking this top 20.” Ouch. That’s a tough pill to swallow for Seattle fans who’ve watched them grind. While it’s good to hear they were “solid” this past season, “never had a hope” really highlights the gap between “solid” and “elite” when we’re talking about a position this deep. When ties had to be broken for these rankings, they looked at multi-eligibility, reliability, and theoretical upside in that order. It seems our guys, despite their efforts, just didn’t hit those higher marks needed to break into that top tier of future first basemen.
The 7-0 loss to Houston just wrapped up, and now this news about France and Rumfield. It’s a double whammy for the Emerald City. It’s a clear message: for our M’s to truly compete and get the recognition they deserve, our players have to elevate their game to undeniable levels. We need to see more than just “solid” from our corner infielders. This isn’t just about fantasy baseball, it’s about what it takes to be considered among the very best in the league. We’ve seen flashes, we know the talent is there. This is just another fire under them to prove the doubters wrong next season. Let’s see what happens!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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