Michael Conforto Trade Rumors Heat Up: Will the Giants Move the All-Star Outfielder Before Deadline?

Los Angeles — Michael Conforto’s grip on a Dodgers roster spot is suddenly tenuous, and the timing could not be worse for the struggling left-fielder. According to Ken Rosenthal, the pending return of four injured position players — Kiké Hernández, Hyeseong Kim, Max Muncy and Tommy Edman — will force the front office to clear space, with Conforto labeled the most vulnerable name on the bubble. Slumping numbers undermine the 32-year-old’s case. Signed last winter to a one-year, $17 million “prove-it” deal, Conforto is batting .183 with a .606 OPS, both career lows. Left field has delivered just a .671 collective OPS for Los Angeles this season, ranking 23rd in MLB, and manager Dave Roberts can no longer afford to carry an underperforming bat while the club chases a division title. Season in review • Games: 114 • HR: 9 • RBI: 37 • Strikeout rate: 28.8 % (career average 26.7 %) • Outs Above Average: –6, 226th among 260 qualified defenders The defensive metrics paint the same bleak picture: Conforto’s –6 Outs Above Average place him near the bottom of the league, neutralizing whatever power potential he still flashes. Why the Dodgers might cut bait 1. Roster crunch: Hernández, Kim, Muncy and Edman all need active-roster spots within the next two weeks. Each offers more positional flexibility than Conforto. 2. Lineup imbalance: L.A. is second in the National League in home runs but has fallen to seventh in OBP since the All-Star break. Roberts hinted Sunday that the club needs “team-first” situational hitters, not more three-true-outcome swings. 3. Defensive realignment: With Teoscar Hernández capable of sliding back to left and deadline acquisition Alex Call available as a fourth outfielder, the Dodgers can upgrade run prevention without sacrificing power. What could save him Hot streaks have defined Conforto’s past. In 2020 he posted a .322 average and .412 OBP during the pandemic-shortened season with the Mets. A similar surge over the next 10–14 days could buy enough goodwill to survive the crunch. The Dodgers also owe him the remainder of that $17 million contract, and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has historically shown patience with veteran bats. Market interest if released Several contenders need left-handed pop off the bench. The Red Sox have cycled through eight outfielders, the Brewers rank 24th in OPS versus right-handed pitching, and the Mariners — Conforto’s hometown club — still crave an impact bat. Because he signed a one-year deal, any acquiring team would owe only the pro-rated league minimum. The bigger picture Conforto’s saga doubles as a cautionary tale about post-injury volatility. Right-shoulder surgery cost him the entire 2022 season; the Giants took a two-year, $36 million gamble in 2023 and watched him rebound to a 2.3-WAR campaign before opting out and testing free agency again last winter. The Dodgers hoped to capture that upside, but advanced metrics now suggest his bat speed has dipped and his chase rate climbed to a career-high 31.4 %. What happens next • August 28 – Sept 1: Rehab assignments for Hernández and Kim conclude. Front office must activate at least one player. • Early September: MLB rosters expand by two, offering a short reprieve but not enough slots for all returnees. • Sept 5: Final day to be in a new organization and remain postseason-eligible — a soft deadline for any Conforto trade or DFA. Bottom line The Dodgers still control their own destiny in the NL West, but internal upgrades are arriving faster than Michael Conforto’s production can rebound. Unless the veteran finds his swing immediately, the former All-Star could be wearing a different uniform — or none at all — before the pennant race hits full stride.