The White Sox have some curiosity in free agent outfielder Michael Conforto, in response to Jon Heyman of The New York Submit. Conforto was with the Dodgers in 2025 however by no means appeared prone to return there even earlier than Los Angeles made their gorgeous settlement with Kyle Tucker final night time.
Conforto, 33 in March, is coming off a couple of down years. His greatest stretch of play was with the Mets earlier in his profession. By way of the tip of the 2020 season, he had 623 video games below his belt, with a .259/.358/.484 line and 128 wRC+. He was good for 30ish residence runs from 2017 to 2019 after which hit 9 over the fence within the shortened 2020 season.
He hasn’t actually been at that stage since. His manufacturing scuffled in 2021, with simply 14 residence runs and whole offense nearer to league common. Shoulder surgical procedure worn out his 2022 season solely. He then signed a two-year cope with the Giants. In 2023, he was once more round league common total, with 15 residence runs for the yr.
The second yr of that pact was a bit extra encouraging. Conforto hit 20 residence runs and slashed .237/.309/.450. That line was 12% higher than league common by measure of wRC+. That wasn’t as much as his prime years with the Mets however was his greatest displaying shortly.
It was additionally doable to squint and see the potential for extra. His first half was interrupted by a hamstring pressure and he by no means appeared to get right into a groove. He stayed wholesome within the second half and caught fireplace, with a .272/.337/.543 line and 143 wRC+ in his last 169 plate appearances.
The Dodgers determined to make a guess on that sizzling end, signing Conforto to a one-year pact price $17MM however with deferrals. That didn’t work out. Conforto slashed .199/.305/.333 on the yr for an 83 wRC+. The Dodgers didn’t carry him on the roster into the postseason.
After that down season, his incomes energy must be decrease than it was a yr in the past. He would subsequently make sense for the White Sox as a buy-low choice who theoretically has some upside. He has solely sporadically proven that upside recently however even his down 2025 season had some theoretical causes for optimism.
His 11.5% stroll charge final yr was fairly sturdy. His 24.9% strikeout charge a tad excessive however fairly regular for him. His .247 batting common on balls in play was fairly low, so he might have had poor luck on the yr. His Statcast knowledge wasn’t elite however wasn’t poor both. His bat pace was within the 77th percentile of massive leaguers. His barrel charge was 56th, his arduous hit charge 53rd and his common exit velocity forty eighth.
The Sox are deep in a rebuild and gained’t be contending quickly. They’d be one of many golf equipment greatest suited to take a flier on Conforto and hope for a return to type, as a contending membership would presumably favor a participant with a extra spectacular latest monitor file. If he has a powerful first half, he might then be flipped on the commerce deadline for a prospect or two.
Chicago’s outfield at present tasks to incorporate Luis Robert Jr. and Andrew Benintendi in two spots. These two are themselves candidates to be traded this yr. They may every additionally stand to spend a while within the designated hitter slot, given their harm histories.
Brooks Baldwin, Tristan Peters, Derek Hill, Everson Pereira and another younger gamers must be within the combine for outfield enjoying time. Baldwin and Peters nonetheless have choices and might be despatched to the minors. Hill and Pereira are out of choices however are the form of fringe roster gamers who might clear waivers and be outrighted to the minors as non-roster depth.
With Tucker now signed, the outfield free agent market has Cody Bellinger up prime after which a notable hole to the opposite choices. Harrison Bader would arguably be the second-best choice, with guys like Conforto, Mike Tauchman, Austin Hays, Miguel Andujar and others forming the following tier. Max Kepler would have been on this cluster someplace however he not too long ago obtained an 80-game PED suspension. That cuts into his enchantment each as a result of he’ll miss the primary half of the season after which wouldn’t be eligible for the postseason.
Photograph courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Photographs
