The SF Giants are hoping to get a resurgent season from outfielder Michael Conforto. The longtime Mets outfielder inked a two-year, $36 million contract with San Francisco this offseason after missing the entire 2022 season with a shoulder injury. This spring, Conforto has returned to action as a designated hitter but has yet to appear in a game defensively. However, Conforto according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post that he feels confident he is nearing 100%.
"Conforto is DH-ing so far for the Giants," Heyman wrote. "But they say the bat looks great and he expects to be back in the outfield this spring, and fully ready by Opening Day. The arm strength is there, but his usual precise accuracy is still coming, he said. He said he just needs more reps to be right back where he was before the incident."
When healthy, Conforto has played all three outfield positions, including center field. Granted, he has played almost exclusively right field since 2020. Prior to his injuries, Conforto was consistently a top-graded defensive right fielder.
From 2015-2020, Conforto was one of the most consistent outfielders in the majors, hitting .259/.358/.484 with 30 home runs per 162 games. He hit at least 27 homers in a season for three straight years from 2017-2019. In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Conforto had the best numbers of his career, recording an exceptional .322/.412/.515 triple-slash with 12 doubles and 9 home runs in 54 games.
However, a series of shoulder injuries have derailed Conforto in the years since. He was ranked the 40th-best free agent this offseason, per Giants Baseball Insider's rankings. His shoulder first began giving him problems in 2021. He missed more than a month on the injured list and posted a career-worst .232/.344/.384 line. Then, Conforto seriously injured his right shoulder, requiring surgery while he was a free agent in the 2021-22 offseason.
The SF Giants are hoping Michael Conforto returns to form offensively, but given the team's defensive struggles in 2022, it would be a massive boon for Conforto to return to form as an excellent defensive right fielder. According to Heyman, Conforto should be back to 100% before Opening Day.
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