The Giants’ outfield room is just about full.
San Francisco reportedly signed Michael Conforto to a two-year, $36 million deal with an opt-out after the first season. Conforto, a left-handed hitting 29-year-old, missed all of 2022 after undergoing shoulder surgery.
ESPN’s Buster Olney was the first to report the signing.
Signing Conforto represents a high-upside play for the Giants; if Conforto can stay healthy and perform like he did before his shoulder injury, he’ll be well worth the contract. The former 10th overall pick in 2014 will have a chance to become the first Giant to hit 30 home runs in a season since Barry Bonds.
Conforto is a career .255 hitter with 132 home runs in seven seasons. He made an All-Star team in 2017, when he broke out with 27 bombs in 109 games. The next year, he hit 28 homers and in 2019 bashed a career-high 33. During the shortened 2020 season, Conforto hit .322 with a .927 OPS.
Conforto will likely make up half of a platoon in a corner with Austin Slater, at least to begin the year. Mitch Haniger will likely man the other corner and Mike Yastrzemski, as of now, will get a shot at center. Adding Conforto allows Joc Pederson to play a full-time designated hitter role and LaMonte Wade Jr. to contribute more at first base.
Outfield defense was one of the Giants’ biggest deficiencies last year, so getting more continuity in that respect should help. In 2021, Conforto’s last season, he recorded -4 defensive runs saved above average, per Baseball-Reference. He graded out in the 89th percentile in arm strength, 72nd in outs above average and 38th in outfielder jump according to Baseball Savant.
Based on his splits, the Giants will prefer to play Conforto mostly against right-handed pitching. In his career, he’s registered an .873 OPS against righties and a .695 OPS against same-side pitching.
The deal, of course, is pending a physical — the three most triggering words for Giants fans these days. But by signing Conforto, the Giants prove that the Carlos Correa mess won’t completely hamper their ability to sign Scott Boras clients.