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MLB Makes Surprising Announcement on New Twins Player

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Zach Kaplan | Last updated Apr 14, 2025 5:52 PM ET

In the first two weeks of the MLB season, the 'Players of the Week' award winners have been fairly predictable, with Alex Bregman, Aaron Judge, Kyle Tucker and Eugenio Suarez taking home the award.

Bregman, Judge and Tucker are all superstars in the league, and had some mighty weeks to start the year, which made it no surprise when they were given the award. Suarez might not be considered star level, but he has a good track record as a power-hitting veteran.

This week's 'Player of the Week' announcement, however, turned some heads.

First baseman Ty France, who in 2025 signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Minnesota Twins, took home the award this week. France went 11-for-25 with two home runs and six RBIs, with a 1.273 OPS to boot.

The AL this week had several notable names show out, with Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. hitting .444 with a 1.153 OPS and a pair of stolen bases, while Angels outfielder Taylor Ward clubbed five home runs in just a seven-day span, including a multi-home run game against the Rays on Thursday.

France played most notably for the Seattle Mariners from 2020-2024, earning an All-Star appearance in the Mariners' playoff-drought ending 2022 season. France hit above .271 from 2019 to 2022, but his .223 batting average and .350 slugging percentage in the first half of 2024 caused the Mariners to designate him for assignment in July.

Following his Mariners tenure, France has yet to really find his footing, posting below-average numbers with the Reds in the second half of 2024.

The low-risk, high-reward contract with the Twins has seen him find his stride, however. France is currently hitting .298 with an .811 OPS to start the season, numbers that more than justify his price tag.

If France can keep this offensive production up, the Twins, who stand at 5-11 to start the year, might have found their long-term first baseman.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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