Padres Sign Infielder Ty France, Pitcher Walker Buehler to Minor League Contracts

The San Diego Padres have strengthened their roster depth by signing first baseman Ty France and pitcher Walker Buehler to minor league contracts. France returns to the organization that originally drafted him, while Buehler seeks to rebuild his career after recent struggles following elbow surgery.

The San Diego Padres bolstered their organizational depth Monday by signing first baseman Ty France and right-handed pitcher Walker Buehler to minor league contracts, multiple sources reported.

France returns to the franchise that originally selected him in the 2015 draft. His contract reportedly includes a spring training invitation to the major league camp, though the agreement remains subject to completing a physical examination.

The 31-year-old France earned his first Gold Glove Award in 2025 during his time with the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays, posting a .257 batting average along with seven homers and 52 runs batted in across 138 contests.

France enjoyed his most productive campaign in 2022 as a member of the Seattle Mariners, recording a .274 average with career-best totals of 20 home runs and 83 RBIs while earning his only All-Star Game selection.

Throughout his seven-year major league career spanning 840 games with San Diego, Seattle, Cincinnati, Minnesota and Toronto, France has compiled a .262 batting average with 81 long balls and 364 RBIs.

Meanwhile, the 31-year-old Buehler continues working to regain his previous effectiveness after missing the entire 2023 campaign due to his second Tommy John elbow reconstruction procedure.

During his dominant stretch from 2017 through 2022 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Buehler compiled a 46-16 record and 3.02 earned run average over 115 appearances, including 106 starts. However, since returning from his second elbow surgery, he has posted an 11-13 mark with a 5.10 ERA in 42 outings for the Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies.

Boston signed Buehler to a one-year, $21 million contract last winter, but the Red Sox released him mid-season after he went 7-7 with a 5.45 ERA in 23 games. Philadelphia subsequently signed him in September, where he finished strong with a 3-0 record and 0.66 ERA in three appearances.

The two-time All-Star played crucial roles in the Dodgers’ World Series championships in 2020 and 2024. His postseason resume includes a 2-0 record with one save and a 0.75 ERA in three World Series games, contributing to his overall 4-4 playoff record and 3.04 ERA across 19 postseason contests.

Buehler is expected to compete for San Diego’s fifth starter position, while France will likely serve in a backup role behind newly acquired Nick Castellanos, who reportedly leads the competition for the starting first base job.