Minnesota Twins first baseman Ty France (13) dives to first base for a force out on a ball hit by Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (9) during the eighth inning at Target Field on May 25. Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Brady's Spin: Ty France Will Be Honored By Seattle Mariners, But We've Taken Tributes Too Far

Originally posted on Seattle Mariners on SI
By Brady Farkas | Last updated May 30, 2025 2:45 PM ET

On Friday night, Minnesota Twins' first baseman Ty France returns to Seattle for the first time as a member of an opposing team. France, acquired by the Mariners in 2020, was a major factor in the team's roster through June of 2024, when he was designated for assignment.

I have no doubt that France will get a rousing ovation and a video tribute from the organization, and while I think he deserves it in today's sports climate, I think that sports climate has gone a little too far.

I discussed this further on the most recent edition of the Refuse to Lose podcast:

Welcome back, Ty France. Ty France, I'm positive of it, is going to get a video tribute from the Mariners. He probably deserves it, although I do think, as a society, we've gone a little too heavy on the video tributes. Ty France was a career. 266 hitter with the Mariners. He made one All-Star Game. He was a part of one playoff team. His average regressed every single year that he was in Seattle. Right? He hit .302 when he came over in the 2020 season. Only 23 games. He hit .291 in 2021. He hit .274 in 2022. He hit .250 in 2023, and he hit .223 before they got rid of him after 88 games in 2024. So, Ty France, I think, to me, gets more credit for what he helped build culture-wise in Seattle than for what he actually did on the field.

The fans will embrace him. Again, he'll get the curtain call or the 'standing O' in his first at bat. He'll tip his hat to the crowd. He'll get a video tribute. It seems a little overboard for the kind of player that Ty was in Seattle, but given where we are as a society, he probably deserves it.

You can hear the full podcast in the player below:

France is hitting .254 for the Twins right now with four homers and 30 RBIs.

First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. PT as Bryan Woo pitches against Zebby Matthews. Both teams are 30-25.

This article first appeared on Seattle Mariners on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: