The sky's the limit for Mariners' Ty France
Christopher Crawford explains Seattle Mariners 1B Ty France's hot start and what fantasy managers can expect from him moving forward.
Video Transcript
CHRISTOPHER CRAWFORD: The Mariners got a solid season out of Ty France in 2021, with a 291/ 368/ 445 slash with 18 homers. What they've gotten from France thus far to begin the 2022 campaign is a lot more than solid. The former San Diego prospect went 5 for 6 with a home run Saturday against the Royals, and followed it up with a 3 for 5 effort with a round tripper to help Seattle complete the sweep of Kansas City.
This isn't just a couple of strong games for France, either. He's hitting 375/ 459/ 656 with 5 homers in his first 74 plate appearances, and the metrics are awfully strong, too. His expected average is just a smidgen below the real market 367, and he's the rare hitter capable of hitting the ball over the fence who doesn't strikeout much, with a K percentage of 11.8.
Despite the long balls, France doesn't possess elite power, and hitting near the top of the Seattle order will likely limit the RBI production. Still, it's pretty clear he can hit. And there's a very good chance we're talking about France as one of the best first baseman in baseball at this point next year.