The Mets have been in touch with the Giants concerning Michael Conforto, reviews Mike Puma of the New York Submit (X hyperlink). The Submit’s Jon Heyman wrote final night time that the Mets have been wanting into the outfield market and most well-liked so as to add a left-handed hitter.
There aren’t many apparent choices on that entrance. The Marlins are more likely to deal middle fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr., however a commerce with the Mets may very well be sophisticated by the division issue. The Nationals in all probability wouldn’t have any qualms about dealing impending free agent Jesse Winker throughout the NL East. Past that duo, the Giants may need the highest pair of commerce candidates amongst lefty-hitting outfielders in Conforto and Mike Yastrzemski.
After all, the Mets are loads aware of Conforto. A former tenth general decide, he hit .255/.356/.468 by means of elements of seven seasons with the workforce. Conforto represented the Mets within the 2017 All-Star Recreation and was one of many higher hitters within the league between 2017-20. His manufacturing dipped in his ’21 platform season. The Mets allowed him to stroll in free company after he declined a qualifying supply. Conforto injured his shoulder whereas figuring out that offseason. He underwent surgical procedure and missed your complete 2022 marketing campaign. He landed in San Francisco on a two-year, $36MM free agent pact the following winter.
Conforto hasn’t recaptured his peak offensive type getting back from the harm. He has been an unexceptional hitter over his season and a half within the Bay Space. He turned in a .239/.334/.384 slash by means of 470 plate appearances a yr in the past. It’s an identical story in 2024. Conforto carries a .226/.298/.415 batting line by means of 80 contests. His 9% stroll fee is his lowest in any full season of his profession. He’s hanging out at a customary 24.1% clip.
The 31-year-old has had a slight rebound in his onerous contact fee and energy manufacturing. He’s slugging above .400 for the primary time in 4 years and has 10 homers throughout 299 plate appearances — the equal of a half-season of motion. That uptick in energy has include a career-low OBP, nonetheless. Conforto’s general offense is once more virtually precisely league common, as measured by wRC+. That’s on par with what he produced in his ultimate season in Queens and his first yr in San Francisco.
Conforto is enjoying this yr on an $18MM wage, almost $6.3MM of which remains to be to be paid out. It’s not going that different groups would take the complete freight. Not solely has Conforto’s general manufacturing been middling, he has been in a funk of late. He carried a .280/.331/.490 slash into June however owns a .165/.261/.331 line over his most up-to-date 145 plate appearances.
The Giants could must kick in cash and settle for a minimal prospect return in the event that they’re going to maneuver him within the subsequent few days. The Mets are paying a 110% charge on any wage they take. Absorbing all of Conforto’s remaining cash would value them upwards of $13MM together with luxurious taxes. That’s in all probability not interesting even to a company that has leveraged its monetary would possibly to tackle a pair struggling relievers, Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek, this month.
San Francisco has dropped six of its final 10 and fallen six video games under .500. They’re 5.5 video games again of the Padres for the final Wild Card spot with 5 further groups to cross within the standings. Their mediocre play popping out of the All-Star Break appears to have them positioned as sellers.
