When the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Michael Conforto to a one-year, $17 million deal in the offseason, expectations were high. A former All-Star with power potential, Conforto was viewed as a low-risk, high-reward addition to an already potent lineup. But nearly two months into the season, the reward still hasn’t materialized, and patience appears to be wearing thin.
Conforto’s numbers paint a bleak picture: he’s batting just .162 with two home runs and six RBIs across 154 at-bats. His OPS sits at .563, well below league average, and he’s gone 1-for-17 over the Dodgers‘ last six games. Once thought to be merely in a cold stretch, Conforto’s ongoing struggles suggest a much deeper problem.
No room for dead weight in a loaded roster
The Dodgers have made it clear this season: performance matters. Both Austin Barnes and Chris Taylor, two long-tenured veterans, were recently cut amid a fierce divisional race. If you’re not producing, you’re not playing. That reality casts a harsh spotlight on Conforto’s lack of output.
Analysts like Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller haven’t minced words. Miller listed Conforto among the biggest busts of the MLB season, arguing that every at-bat the struggling outfielder receives is a missed opportunity for one of the team’s many rising stars. With players like Dalton Rushing recently promoted and Teoscar Hernández back from injury, Conforto is rapidly running out of reasons to stay in the starting mix.
A decision looms in Los Angeles
The trade deadline is approaching, but Conforto’s value is virtually nonexistent. With such poor numbers, he’s not a viable asset to flip. That leaves the Dodgers with a difficult decision: hold out hope for a turnaround or cut ties and move on.
Comparisons to last year’s release of José Abreu by the Astros aren’t far-fetched. If Conforto doesn’t show immediate improvement, the Dodgers may have no choice but to eat the $17 million and free up a roster spot.
For now, Conforto remains in the dugout. But unless something changes fast, his time in Los Angeles may be remembered not for what he did, but for what he didn’t do.
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