Giants agree to two-year contract with outfielder Michael Conforto
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The Giants and outfielder Michael Conforto agreed to terms on a two-year Major League contract worth $36 million, which includes an opt-out following the 2023 season if Conforto accumulates a total of 350 plate appearances. Conforto will make $18 million in both 2023 and 2024. Conforto will donate $90,000 to the Giants Community Fund in both 2023 and 2024.
Conforto, 29, missed the entire 2022 season while recovering from right shoulder surgery that was done in April.
The Seattle, WA native last played in 2021 for the Mets where he hit .232 with 14 home runs, 55 RBI, 20 doubles and a .729 OPS in 125 games. He earned All-MLB 2nd Team honors in his 2020 campaign with New York, slashing .322/.412/.515 with 12 doubles and nine homers in 54 games.
Conforto was an All-Star in 2017 and from 2017-2020 he put together a .265/.369/.495 slash line with 86 doubles, 97 homers, 273 RBI and an .864 OPS. Conforto’s 97 homers as an outfielder in that span were eighth-most in the Majors behind Mike Trout (131), Bryce Harper (108), Aaron Judge (107), Christian Yelich (107), Charlie Blackmon (102), Mookie Betts (99) and George Springer (99). His .369 OBP and .868 OPS as an OF were both 10th-best among Major League outfielders in that time.
From 2017-2020, Conforto was worth 14.9 fWAR, third-most by any qualified NL outfielder behind Christian Yelich (19.0) and Cody Bellinger (16.6). He also posted a 133 wRC+ in that span (100 is league average), eighth-best among qualified NL outfielders.
He's spent a majority of his Major League career as a right fielder, appearing in 334 career games, but has also seen action in both left field (259 games) and center field (146 games). In 696 career games in the outfield, he’s posted a .987 fielding percentage.
Over seven Major League seasons (all with the Mets), Conforto has posted an .824 OPS with a .255/.356/.468 slash line in 757 career games. He’s hit 141 doubles, four triples, 132 homers and driven in 396 runs over his seven-year career. Conforto was the Mets first-round pick (10th overall) in the 2014 draft out of Oregon State.
To make room for Conforto on the 40-man roster, the Giants have designated C Austin Wynns for assignment.