Padres Non-Roster Invite Hints at Major Announcement

The San Diego Padres have a decision to make regarding non-roster invite Ty France, who's with the team in spring training on a minor league deal.

It appears that decision is imminent.

On Friday, France appeared on 97.3 The Fan and was asked about the team's impending decision whether or not to include him on the Opening Day roster.

He had a very telling answer.

“I’ll just say this — we should know by tomorrow [Saturday] morning how the rest of this will look," France said. "So I’ll leave it at that.”

He added: “We’ll have our answer one way or another.”

Ty France 👀 pic.twitter.com/SFPbUIPgqO
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) March 20, 2026

France has an opt-out in his contract that allows him to leave the Padres on Saturday, which appears to be what he's referring to in terms of having an answer "one way or another."

If the Padres inform France that he'll be on the team's Opening Day roster, he'll have no reason to opt out. However, if the Padres tell France he won't be with the team on Opening Day, it appears he'd leave the organization in search of a major league opportunity elsewhere.

France, who signed with the Padres in February, is coming off a 2025 season with the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays in which he slashed .257/.320/.360 with seven home runs, 52 runs batted in and an OPS of .681. While it wasn't the best offensive season of his career, he won his first Gold Glove award for his defense at first base.

The Padres need defensive help at first base as neither Gavin Sheets nor Nick Castellanos — the latter of which is attempting to learn the position this spring — provide much defensive value there. France would be an invaluable addition to the team for his defense, but also for his pop off the bench.

France has had a strong spring, going 14-for-41 (.341) with two home runs, 11 RBIs and an OPS of .985. He should have done more than enough to warrant a spot on the team's Opening Day roster, especially since there are likely two spots available with the injury to Sung-Mun Song.

This is France's second stint with San Diego, as he was drafted by the Padres in the 34th round of the 2015 draft. He debuted with the Padres in 2019 before being traded to the Seattle Mariners in 2020.

France has said this spring he feels like he has "unfinished business" with San Diego.

“I was very grateful for my time in Seattle and elsewhere, but I felt like there was some unfinished business here in San Diego," France said. "I never truly wanted to leave, but happy to be back, happy to be a part of this group and looking forward to what’s to come.”

Whether or not France gets to make good on that "unfinished business" is up to the Padres. If the team informs the veteran he won't be on their initial 26-man roster, expect to see him opt out in search of an opportunity with another organization.

If France is still with the team through Saturday, expect to see his name on the 26-man roster come Opening Day.