The Los Angeles Dodgers had high expectations for Michael Conforto after signing him to a one-year contract, but things have not gone the way either side hoped to begin the season.
Conforto has had a solid career at the MLB level, posting six quality seasons with the New York Mets where he was named an All-Star before joining the San Francisco Giants and posting a strong 2024 season.
But with the Dodgers, Conforto has been in the worst slump of his career as he’s hitting just .175/.314/.286 with an 80 wRC+ through 61 games.
However, since June 5, Conforto has hit .263/.333/.421 with a 117 wRC+. And since May 9, he’s batting .231/.365/.372, which gives him a 116 wRC+.
That production means he’s roughly 16% better than league average, which is more than good enough for a bottom-of-the-lineup hitter. And with that, Conforto also feels he’s close to getting his swing back on track.
“I think we’re getting there,” Conforto said. “I think the quality of at-bats have definitely gone in the right direction. Hitting the ball a little bit harder and a little bit tougher of an out. I think there’s a lot of work to do still.”
Conforto slugged a home run in the Dodgers’ victory against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday, which was perhaps the most encouraging thing to see.
Throughout his career, power numbers have been a strong suit for Conforto, who has shown he’s capable of hitting 30 long balls in a season and owns a career .447 slugging percentage.
“I think one of the big things is putting good swings on some fastballs and hitting those hard,” Conforto said. “In my career, that’s kind of been my bread and butter.
“I’ve always been a guy who hits the fastball, so that’s more so than the ball leaving the yard. Just hitting the fastball hard is one of the big things for me.”
Last year, Conforto slugged .469 against fastballs, and in his best power season, he slugged .527 against the heaters, but this season that has dropped to .383.
Getting back to being able to do damage on fastballs is a key for Conforto, and he’s focused on that aspect of his game.
“I think it’s just a lot of the work I put in to get my body in the right position, get the plane of the swing right,” Conforto said.
“There’s a lot of things that I’ve been working on, but really just being ready and putting myself in the right position when I go to launch has been the biggest thing.”
Over his career, Conforto is a .247/.346/.447 hitter with 171 home runs, 532 RBI, 539 runs scored and a 117 wRC+. His underlying numbers also suggest he’s closer to that player than the one he’s currently shown.
If the Dodgers can get that type of production moving forward and into the playoffs, they will be more than happy with the signing.
But right now, Conforto just needs to keep making positive strides, even if they’re baby steps. Thankfully for him, the Dodgers are a club with a lot of patience with players, and they’re focused more on October than regular season results.
Michael Conforto hoped game-winning hit leads to rebound
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has continued to stick with Conforto, expressing confidence in a turnaround based on his career track record, and a better mental approach at the plate.
After an 0-for-30 stretch with runners in scoring position heading into their game on June 5, Conforto roped a game-winning RBI single, and he hoped that would help spark a turnaround to his season.
“Those are the types of at-bats that will get you going, to get that monkey off your back with a runner in scoring position and come through in a big spot for the team,” Conforto said. “Again, it’s a big moment for me. Just hope to do a lot more of that.”
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