The Cleveland Guardians haven’t made a free agent signing larger than $1.5 million this offseason as it has become abundantly clear that they are primarily focused on internal upgrades as opposed to making a couple of big splashes on the open market. With about two months left until the regular season starts, there is still time to make a move, but the odds don’t seem to be in Cleveland’s favor.
With the team going for a third consecutive AL Central title, plenty of fans are clamoring for the team to at least do something. The Guardians had one of the league’s worst offenses in 2025, so it would be helpful to bring in another bat or two, but one analyst recently urged the team to avoid one rumored target.
Cade Cracas of BIGPLAY Cleveland recently chimed in on X about one of Cleveland’s rumored targets. He doesn’t want to see the team sign free agent first baseman Ty France.
“I hope the Guardians don’t sign Ty France. Wouldn’t quite make much sense.”
I hope the #Guardians don’t sign Ty France.
Wouldn’t quite make much sense.
— Cade Cracas (@CracasCade) February 6, 2026
France is 31 years old and has bounced around the league quite a bit in his seven-year career, most recently splitting the 2025 season between the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays. In 138 games between the two clubs, France hit .257 with seven homers and 52 RBIs, good for a .681 OPS.
He hasn’t been the same hitter over the past few years that he was from 2020 through 2022, and it’s fair to wonder if he has another gear he can get to. However, Cleveland’s offense was so repugnant last season that even a .681 OPS would have been a big upgrade.
Why Cracas doesn’t want the Guardians to sign France is unknown, but it’s fair to assume that he, along with many other Guardians fans, is ready for a bit of a youth movement. France could likely come in and provide some decent production on a cheap short-term contract, but it’s easy to see a path where C.J. Kayfus could step in and assume 500 at-bats at first base and deliver at least that level of production or much more.
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