According to Mark Feinsand, The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed outfielder Michael Conforto to a 1-year, $17 million contract. Conforto is coming off a season in which he hit .237/.309/.450 (112 wRC+) with 20 homers and 27 doubles in 488 plate appearances for the San Francisco Giants.
Michael Conforto Lands With the Dodgers
The Dodgers have agreed to a deal with Michael Conforto, per sources.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 9, 2024
Conforto gets one year and year and $17 million from the Dodgers, per sources.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 9, 2024
Evaluators have long viewed Conforto in a favorable light. A former first-round pick by the New York Mets in 2014, Conforto impressed with his plate discipline, swing, and natural power to all fields. Many viewed him as having the ability to hit 30 homers while maintaining a .300 average.
Though he has the potential to be one of the best hitters in the game, Conforto has had a bunch of starts and stops in his career. The best stretch of his career came with the Mets from 2017-2020. During this time, he hit .265/.369/.495 (134 OPS+) with 97 home runs in 467 games.
It seemed like Conforto figured everything out after a monstrous Covid-shortened 2020 campaign. However, he struggled mightily in 2021, his final season before free agency. He hit just .232/.344/.384 with 14 homers and 20 doubles in 125 games.
His 100 OPS+ and 104 wRC+ that year look decent, but those metrics are built up by a high walk rate and hit-by-pitch total. Some evaluators felt that Conforto was selling out for power and on-base ability to cash in big in free agency.
Conforto followed up his poor walk year by suffering a season-ending shoulder injury during an offseason workout. After spending the year unsigned and rehabbing, Conforto signed a two-year deal with the Giants to rebuild his value.
In his first year post-injury, Conforto produced roughly league-average production (100 OPS+, 99 wRC+). He also played only 125 games due to multiple lower body injuries. That said, he rebounded nicely in 2024 and showed the league that there’s more in the tank, especially being another year removed from shoulder surgery.
Defensively, metrics rated Conforto as, at best, average in left field. He earned zero Defensive Runs Saved but had -4 Outs Above Average in 835 innings last season. For the previous year, he primarily played right field and recorded -3 for both DRS and OAA.
Teams across the league, no matter where they are in their contention window, likely expressed interest in Conforto. 32 on Opening Day, TEAM will sign Conforto in hopes that the outfielder can reach untapped potential one more season removed from his shoulder injury and away from the pitcher-friendly Oracle Park.
Main Photo Credits: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images
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