Los Angeles Dodges left fielder Michael Conforto has struggled during his first season in a Dodgers uniform.
The All-Star outfielder is hitting .190 this season with an OPS+ of 76, ranking 24 percent lower than league average. Especially with his $17 million salary this season, his lack of production is certainly troubling as the final stretch of the regular season is upon the Dodgers.
Manager Dave Roberts, however, has remained steadfast in his belief in Conforto, and it seemed to pay off as he showed glimpses last month, batting .273 with an OPS of .827 in July.
Conforto went 3-for-8 with a pair of RBIs this past weekend, helping the Dodgers sweep the San Diego Padres. He recently revealed a heart-to-heart he had with Roberts that may have helped turn things around.
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“I think the gist of it was just getting some more out of me, which is fair,” Conforto said. “I expect more out of myself. We talked through a lot of things, but that’s the main thing. Just to fight for every inch in those situations.
“A lot of times, there’ll be bases loaded situations that fall to that seven hole and great teams — playoff teams — they come through and score in those spots.”
Roberts spoke on his talks with Conforto and how his outfielder continues to battle each day, slowly but surely seeing results.
“I would say it’s actually freeing in the sense of, you’re not expecting to put up a certain OPS or this or that. You’re just trying to help the team win,” Roberts said. “My ask is to just be a better hitter, to fight, and to put together at-bats.
“That’s pretty much in any player’s control, versus trying to hit a certain number of homers, ribbies, this or that. I was hoping to free him up a little bit. It’s good to see it.”
Similar to the slump that superstar Mookie Betts appears to be making his way out of, the past doesn’t matter nearly as much as what these two can do for the team at this point in the season.
As the regular season starts to wind down with October right around the corner, Conforto will need to play the best baseball he has as a member of the Dodgers and continue producing.
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Photo Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
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4 Responses
Please tell me this is a joke. Why is Conforto even playing or on the team. Is Roberts and Friedman crazy. He has hit below the Mendoza line the whole season while they have Ryan Ward a hitting maching in AAA. They need to call it the Conforto line. Last time Conforto played was on Monday and he went 0-2 and is hitting .190 yet Ryan Ward is leading the PCL in HR and Rbi’s yet the Dodgers will not see what he can do in the majors. He can hit much better than Conforto. You send Conforto down to AAA and he still would not hit. 17 million dollars wasted on Conforto. The bottom of the line up has been very bad this year. I am so angry the Dodgers will not give Ryan Ward a look. Many I mean many fans are upset too. He deserves a call up with his excellent play this year. Let Ryan Ward go to the Angels or the Padres. The Dodgers certainly do not want him in their system. He has done everything asked of him and they let him rot in the minors. Way to go Dodgers.
You have to be careful with the OKC-AAA offensive numbers. They seem to be inflated, also because the pitching in the PCL is a little suspect. Ward will probably get his shot when rosters are expanded. In the meantime, Conforto should at the very best, platoon with Alex Call who not inly hits the ball more but strikes out and grounds in to double plays a lot less and is a good and speedy defender… Conforto just isn’t the player he used yt be when he was with the Mets. I know Freidman took a flyer on him but most of us feel that was a bad decision, as even good GM/ Bossaball Ops guys occasionally do…
This team is really terrible. Conforto should be gone. Roberts seems like he is disinterested. Unwatchable and, let’s face it, the Rockies have won more since the all Star break. Losers who won’t get dirty or get in front of the ball.
Like Freddy Dodge, the Gold Miner Rescue guy says, “You can go broke working harder if there is no Gold in the ground…” Yes, Conforto has been better this month, but working harder is not going to solve the strikeouts and groundball double plays. in big moments. Conforto is just too slow and doesn’t have the aggressiveness at the plate the Dodgers need at the plate and working harder to get there, while laudable, will not produce what the Dodgers need this time of the year. Play Alex Call and get better all the way around and admit that maybe this was not the signing the Dodgers needed this year…