Ty France waited until the San Diego Padres’ final at-bat of the regular season to reach a milestone that carried extra meaning.
France reached 500 plate appearances in Sunday’s 9-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, triggering a $200,000 contract incentive. The moment drew plenty of attention from the Padres’ dugout, with teammates watching as France reached the mark.
AJ Cassavell of MLB.com documented the moment on X as France completed a remarkable turnaround season.
France entered 2026 on a minor-league deal with San Diego after spending the previous season with the Toronto Blue Jays. His base salary was $1.35 million, making the incentive another notable piece of a contract that has worked out well for both sides.
The first baseman also finished the regular season with some of his best offensive production in years. France hit .295/.363/.502 with 21 home runs and 72 RBI across 133 games. He went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the season finale against Arizona.
France’s production helped establish him as an important part of San Diego’s lineup after he initially had to earn his place on the roster. MLB highlighted his resurgence throughout the season, noting that his plate-appearance total had been a key part of his push toward qualifying for the league leaderboards.
David Frerker-Imagn Images
Now France heads into October with the Padres after completing a season that began with a minor-league contract and ended with 500 plate appearances, a $200,000 bonus and a postseason berth.
San Diego finished 91-71 and will host the Chicago Cubs in the National League Wild Card Series.
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