The San Diego Padres are in a 2-0 series hole in the NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers after Jackson Chourio walked them off on Sunday night.
San Diego recorded just five hits as a team in Game 2, and two of those came from veteran first baseman Ty France, who also recorded two of the team’s three RBIs in the 4-3 loss.
France Thriving With Padres
France has been the hottest hitter on the Padres so far this postseason, holding a current hit streak dating back to Sept. 26.
In 15 postseason at-bats across four games, France is 7-for-15 at the plate. He signed with the Padres at the beginning of the 2026 season in free agency on a minor league contract worth $1.35 million after the Toronto Blue Jays let him walk following the conclusion of the 2025 season.
This season, France appeared in 133 games for San Diego and hit .295 with 59 runs, 130 hits, 21 home runs and 72 RBIs, while slugging .502 with an .865 OPS.
Ty France in the postseason:
2019-2025: 7 hits in 30 AB
2026: 7 hits in 15 AB š„He’s carried his success in the regular season right into the playoffs! https://t.co/fjMoBZaWm9
ā Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) October 4, 2026
Why Blue Jays Let France Walk After World Series Run
Toronto had a historic run to the World Series last season before losing a heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7.
A key part of that team as a bench bat and occasional first baseman was France, whom they acquired midseason from the Minnesota Twins.
He appeared in 37 games as a member of the Blue Jays and hit .277 with nine runs, 26 hits, one home run and eight RBIs, while slugging .372 with a .693 OPS.
Ultimately, they saw France as more of a luxury than a necessity, especially with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. already serving as their primary first baseman.
Yet, one man’s trash can be another man’s treasure, and for the Padres, France has easily been the team’s biggest surprise this year given the value they got him at.
Ex-Toronto Blue Jays Slugger Thriving With New Team in MLB Playoffs