Who is going to play first base? That is one of the many questions the Minnesota Twins must figure out for next season. Gold Glover Carlos Santana signed a one-year contract to return to Cleveland last month, which leaves a void at first base. As the roster currently, José Miranda has the most experience at first with 12 starts from last season.
Here are three free-agent first baseman the Minnesota Twins could still sign:
Ty France
After being traded to the Seattle Mariners in 2020, France became one of the better first basemen in the American League. France finished his 2021 season with 4.4 bWAR by batting .291 with an OBP of .368. The next season, France almost replicated his stellar 2021 season by finishing with 3.1 bWAR on his way to the 2022 All-Star game.
That’s where the good times ended for France, who’s production fell to near replacement-level status (0.7 bWAR) in 2023. Still, he had a respectable .337 OBP and a 101 OPS+ by the end of that season.
It bottomed out last year for France, as his stikeout rate rose to 24.4% in Seattle and his line drive rate diminished to a career-low 21.1%. At the deadline, the Mariners designated him for assignment and eventually traded him to the Cincinnati Reds. At the end of last season, where he finished hitting .234/.305/.365 with the Mariners and Reds, France elected free agency and is now looking for a new club.
The Twins could be a suitor for France if the front office would like to give him a one-year “prove it” contract to get his career back on track.
Anthony Rizzo
Rizzo’s production with the New York Yankees dipped to a 0.6 WAR and an 88 OPS+ across the last two seasons. Injuries were a major factor for Rizzo, as he overcame post-concussion symptoms, a fractured forearm, and broken fingers in a two-year season span. As a result, his 2025 club optionwas denied by the Yankees
That does not diminish what has been a successful 14-year career with the Padres, Cubs, and Yankees. Last season, Rizzo hit his 300th home run with the Yankees and captured his 1600th career hit. After the 2024 World Series, where the Yankees fell in five games to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Rizzo is looking to play another 15th season with another team.
Rizzo was a first baseman candidate Bleacher Report predicted would sign with the Twins this offseason, but that has not come to life. Still, it makes sense to sign a veteran player such as Rizzo as both a veteran presence in the locker room and as a stopgap for the future.
While Rizzo is not the slugger he was during his prime with the Cubs, he’s still a disciplined hitter who, according to Statcast ranks in the 80th percentile in whiff percentage and in the 74th percentile in strikeout rate.
Connor Joe
Joe was one of two basemen last season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, with the other being Rowdy Tellez. In his two seasons with the Pirates, Joe batted .238/.330/.396 with a 99 OPS+ and 1.3 bWAR. This offseason, Joe was non-tendered by the Pirates.
In both years, Joe began the season hot at the plate, only to see his statistics dip during the year. In 2023, Joe started off hitting .288/.387/.575 only to finish with a .247 BA and a .760 OPS. Last year was nearly identical, Joe finished April batting .292 with a stellar .370 OBP. By the end of the season, Joe’s batting average dwindled down to .228 with a .688 OPS.
Joe is an interesting candidate for the Twins not just because he plays first base, but he can also play one of the corner outfielder spots. That gives Minnesota some versatility if an injury was to pop up with Trevor Larnach or Matt Wallner.
While his two consecutive hot starts then seasonal fades are a concern, a free agent contract for Joe would be a low-risk maneuver for the Twins to consider, especially given his ability to play in the outfield at any given time.