This winter’s free agency market is telling a very strange story about the Toronto Blue Jays — and about the price of adaptation.
Bo Bichette left. Not just Toronto, but the shortstop position that had become synonymous with his name. To secure a $126 million contract with the New York Mets, Bichette accepted a move to third base, even being considered for second base. A major compromise — but a necessary one.
And now, another former Blue Jay is facing a similar dilemma.
According to Katie Woo and Will Sammon of The Athletic, Ty France — Gold Glove first baseman — has been approached by several teams about the possibility of playing second base as part of negotiations. Not to completely replace him. Not to “change careers.” But enough to show: the market no longer sees France in the same way.
At first glance, this seems illogical. France just won the Gold Glove first base in the 2025 season. His defense is an asset, not a weakness. Asking him to leave that position seems counterintuitive.
But free agencies rarely operate on pure logic.
Teams don’t want to turn France into a full-time second baseman. Woo and Sammon made it clear: they still see him as first baseman first and foremost. What they want is the ability to pivot. A player who can hold first base, but is willing to move to another position when the roster needs adjustment.
This isn’t about losing value. It’s about expanding value.
France, 31, had a short but effective stint with the Blue Jays after being traded from the Twins. In 37 games, he shot .277 with an OPS of .693 — not explosive, but consistent. The problem is: it wasn’t a big enough season to cause teams to line up to trade him like other free agents.
And as the market slowed, demands started to appear.
Ty France isn’t in a position where he has to “change positions to survive” like some older players. But he’s also no longer in a position where he can simply say, “I’m the first baseman, Gold Glove.” MLB demands more than that—flexibility is the default condition.
This also reflects a broader trend. Bichette is a big example. France is a quieter one. Two players, two different circumstances, but the same reality: position is no longer an immutable identity.
The difference lies in the degree. Bichette had to completely transform to maximize his contract value. France only needed to open the door—proving he could help the team in more than one way, even if he spent most of his time in first base.
And that may be why France’s market started to “warm up” later in the season. Not because he played better overnight. But it’s because he’s willing to say “yes” to conversations he might have previously turned down.
The Gold Glove still has value. But in modern MLB, flexibility is what unlocks contracts.
Ty France may not change positions. But the mere fact that he’s willing to consider it shows: he understands how the game is changing — and he’s not going to stand still.
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