Padres Announce Ty France Honor Ahead of MLB Free Agency

The San Diego Padres shared that first baseman Ty France and catcher Freddy Fermin were named 2026 NL Gold Glove Award finalists on Wednesday.

by Xavier Constantino

Oct 14, 2026

The San Diego Padres shared that first baseman Ty France and catcher Freddy Fermin were named 2026 NL Gold Glove Award finalists on Wednesday.

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Ty France played 127 games at first base this season for the San Diego Padres, making just three errors and posting a .997 fielding percentage that topped the .994 league average.

Now he has a chance to repeat as a Gold Glove Award winner. The Padres announced on Wednesday that France and catcher Freddy Fermin were named 2026 National League Gold Glove Award finalists.

The numbers easily tell the story of why France is in the mix. He saved 15 runs at first base, per Baseball Reference’s defensive runs saved metric, estimating how many runs a fielder saved compared to an average player at his position. He also made 138 assists, his most in a season, and turned 75 double plays.

San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France (25)

David Frerker-Imagn Images

France won his first Gold Glove last season while splitting time between the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays. He saved nine runs defensively in 2025, so his defensive production grew with San Diego.

The 32-year-old returned to the Padres in February after previously being selected by the team in the 2015 MLB Draft out of San Diego State. He also provided a boost at the plate, with a .295 batting average, 21 home runs and 72 RBIs.

Fermin, meanwhile, took over as the Padres’ primary catcher after spending years as a backup with the Kansas City Royals.

Managers and coaches vote on the award, accounting for 75 percent of the selection. The SABR Defensive Index makes up the remaining 25 percent. Winners will be announced on ESPN at 8:30 p.m. ET on November 1.

France’s contract with the Padres will officially expire at the end of the 2026 World Series, making him a huge free agent. A second Gold Glove would boost his value even more in the open market.