Jake Cronenworth has the glove to play first base for the San Diego Padres. The harder question is whether they can live with his bat there every day if Ty France leaves in free agency.
The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Kevin Acee reported Nov. 11 that the Padres’ pursuit of premium talent could change how they use Fernando Tatis Jr. If Tatis plays second or the team signs another second baseman, Cronenworth could see more time at first or move around the infield, according to Acee’s reporting. Both possibilities leave the club with a decision about where to replace France’s power.
What the Padres Would Give Up at First Base
France hit 21 home runs and slugged .502 for San Diego in 2026. Cronenworth hit seven and slugged .321. The difference is held after accounting for batting average. France’s isolated power, calculated by subtracting batting average from slugging, was .207. Cronenworth’s was .096, using the Padres’ season batting totals.
Leaguewide, first basemen posted a .765 OPS in 2026, according to StatMuse. Cronenworth’s .629 overall OPS was 136 points below that benchmark. He also missed nearly two months after developing concussion symptoms, as MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell reported. San Diego has a reason to leave room for a rebound as it plans for 2027. His 2024 season, when he hit 17 home runs, shows the Padres have seen a higher ceiling from him.
The immediate problem applies to both kinds of pitching. Cronenworth put up a .630 OPS against right-handers and .625 against left-handers, per Baseball Savant. France had an .853 OPS against lefties alone, per CBS Sports’ splits. A switch would leave San Diego looking for extra-base damage from elsewhere in the order.
Where Cronenworth Can Still Help the Padres
Cronenworth started 94 games at first in 2023 and another 80 in 2024, according to his MLB player profile. That experience gives manager Craig Stammen a way to cover first base while spelling Manny Machado at third or Xander Bogaerts at shortstop on other days. A player who can cover all four spots has value over a long season.
Gavin Sheets gives San Diego another left-handed option at first, as the Padres’ depth chart shows. If Sheets returns, the team can make a matchup decision on any given night. It would still benefit from a right-handed hitter who can start at first and supply extra-base hits when Stammen stacks the lineup against a lefty.
The Padres should weigh that need alongside the cost of any outfielder or second baseman they pursue. An everyday first baseman would let them move Cronenworth around the diamond. A corner bat who can play first and take some designated hitter at-bats could do some of the same work. Either way, the front office has a better chance of improving the lineup if it budgets for those at-bats before shifting Cronenworth across the infield.
Jake Cronenworth at First Base Would Test the Padres’ Power