The White Sox have some interest in free agent outfielder Michael Conforto, according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post. Conforto was with the Dodgers in 2025 but never seemed likely to return there even before Los Angeles made their stunning agreement with Kyle Tucker last night.
Conforto, 33 in March, is coming off a few down years. His best stretch of play was with the Mets earlier in his career. Through the end of the 2020 season, he had 623 games under his belt, with a .259/.358/.484 line and 128 wRC+. He was good for 30ish home runs from 2017 to 2019 and then hit nine over the fence in the shortened 2020 season.
He hasn’t really been at that level since. His production scuffled in 2021, with just 14 home runs and total offense closer to league average. Shoulder surgery wiped out his 2022 season entirely. He then signed a two-year deal with the Giants. In 2023, he was again around league average overall, with 15 home runs for the year.
The second year of that pact was a bit more encouraging. Conforto hit 20 home runs and slashed .237/.309/.450. That line was 12% better than league average by measure of wRC+. That wasn’t up to his prime years with the Mets but was his best showing in a while.
It was also possible to squint and see the potential for more. His first half was interrupted by a hamstring strain and he never seemed to get into a groove. He stayed healthy in the second half and caught fire, with a .272/.337/.543 line and 143 wRC+ in his final 169 plate appearances.
The Dodgers decided to make a bet on that hot finish, signing Conforto to a one-year pact worth $17MM but with deferrals. That didn’t work out. Conforto slashed .199/.305/.333 on the year for an 83 wRC+. The Dodgers did not carry him on the roster into the postseason.
After that down season, his earning power should be lower than it was a year ago. He would therefore make sense for the White Sox as a buy-low option who theoretically has some upside. He has only sporadically shown that upside lately but even his down 2025 season had some theoretical reasons for optimism.
His 11.5% walk rate last year was quite strong. His 24.9% strikeout rate a tad high but pretty normal for him. His .247 batting average on balls in play was quite low, so he may have had poor luck on the year. His Statcast data wasn’t elite but wasn’t poor either. His bat speed was in the 77th percentile of big leaguers. His barrel rate was 56th, his hard hit rate 53rd and his average exit velocity 48th.
The Sox are deep in a rebuild and won’t be contending soon. They would be one of the clubs best suited to take a flier on Conforto and hope for a return to form, as a contending club would presumably prefer a player with a more impressive recent track record. If he has a strong first half, he could then be flipped at the trade deadline for a prospect or two.
Chicago’s outfield currently projects to include Luis Robert Jr. and Andrew Benintendi in two spots. Those two are themselves candidates to be traded this year. They could each also stand to spend some time in the designated hitter slot, given their injury histories.
Brooks Baldwin, Tristan Peters, Derek Hill, Everson Pereira and some other young players should be in the mix for outfield playing time. Baldwin and Peters still have options and could be sent to the minors. Hill and Pereira are out of options but are the kind of fringe roster players who could clear waivers and be outrighted to the minors as non-roster depth.
With Tucker now signed, the outfield free agent market has Cody Bellinger up top and then a notable gap to the other options. Harrison Bader would arguably be the second-best option, with guys like Conforto, Mike Tauchman, Austin Hays, Miguel Andujar and others forming the next tier. Max Kepler would have been in this cluster somewhere but he recently received an 80-game PED suspension. That cuts into his appeal both because he’ll miss the first half of the season and then wouldn’t be eligible for the postseason.
Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images
Conforto and the White Sox are a heck of a match.
Exactly, and if it’s a 1-year deal for $6-$7 million, it could work out well at the trade deadline. A left handed hitter hitting at Comiskey Park could hit a few long balls, and as a pull hitter he could take advantage of the short porch.
If he can put together a slash of something in the area of .240/.330/.450, he could be used as trade bait.
He’s definitely no better than a 6-7 guy 🤷♂️
This nonsense must stop soon
What, Michael Conforto or 6-7? I heard the international kids are saying it now.
Both.
Dumber than the pet rock.
Yes: but what short porch? Are you confusing Fenway?
?? Sox park is very home run friendly.
There’s not a short porch. Unless youre thinking about the booster seats for small dogs on dog day
Homer friendly? Well somebody better tell that to the White Sox..
Perfect. An over the hill poor defensive outfielder. A match made in heaven.
They have an outfield of has beens and never was’s.
Unlike the usual assortment of trolls, hobbits and fairies online
How is this guy worth $6-7 million a year? I’d rather see Tauchman back in right field.
You sure right about that
Yeah, Getz is channeling his inner Kenny Williams. Guy was something about 5-10 years ago, but yeah we can get him for cheap now and hope there’s something left in the tank.
Best they can hope for is even just a modest bounce back. You can’t cover up the stench of his 2025 season. Dodgers ran him out there all year long despite the fact that he sucked massively from wire to wire.
Talk about bottom of the barrel!
Can’t get any WORSE
a very compelling response to the Dodgers. 2 heavyweights exchanging blows.
This is both fricking hysterical, and super depressing. I like this move in 2019
Conforto’s best years are certainly behind him.
Yet somehow he will get a contract worth 2-3x as much as anyone would imagine, what hold does Conforto have on the league
He owes Boras big time!
My question is WHERE these teams getting their MILLIONS and MILLIONS of dollars from? The US Taxpayers ?
…teams are heavily invested in Day-Cares !
Franklin,
They get it from the Dodgers (and other teams who spend) paying the CBT.
Don’t do it, Getz!! Conforto is done.
Don’t do it please
Getz if the Sox are looking for reclamation projects go to Orioles.
Maybe Kjerstad and Mountcasle of Sean Burke.
MM has 1B already.
What’s another mess up ? Getz needs to RESIGN . Two 100 loss seasons in a row are inexcusable in the weakest division in baseball are enoughI . Probably 90 losses this year!
Getz isn’t going anywhere soon. At minimum he’s likely the GM the rest of the decade.
It’s conforto or Kepler. Yaz already signed somewhere
Kepler is under suspension ?
He can still be signed. Lots of players have been suspended
Eh it works, they need an OF and he’s not costing much. He does ok, he can be flipped for some flyer at the deadline. Standard issue White Sox signing.
No thanks-go with Baldwin/Pereira/etc on the cheap to see if any motivated youth competing stick…..not a stale vet like Conforto getting his last several mil who’s annoyed to be making a lot less and only there due to lack of market interest. Already have Benintendi for that veteran profile.
Conforto isn’t blocking anyone at LF respectively. Baldwin is a Willi Castro and Everson P and Jarred Kelenic are reclamation projects.
I too like Baldwin and Pereira more than Conforto and thought that it was that pair that kept the Sox from resigning Tauchman.
After adding Kelenic, Id say the Sox are set in the OF with Braden Montgomery potentially getting some at bats later this season.
One word, Why ?
Cheap! Bounce back hopeful!
Ohkay, but that’s what SF thought too.
Couple years later, still waiting on that.
Right WHY ?
🤣
I’m interested in going to a planetarium with Kate Micucci.
Kind of strange that they are adding yet another left-handed bat.
Nice fit for each other. Trade Robert and you’ll have plenty of salary space to sign Conforto cheap.
They ain’t gonna trade Robert . Nobody wants their idiotic offers
Somehow his agent will get him a 1yr -$12MM deal.
Confoto is not good. Great fit for the White Sox.
Bring back Harold Baines!!!
Why not??
Somehow his agent will get his a 1yr $12MM deal.
Why did you put this comment twice.
The Chisox would not resign Tauchman for 3.5 million, there is no way they are signing Conforto for 7 million dollars.
Go with a rotation of Perraria, Kelenec, and Baldwin in right, until Braden Montgomery is ready.
I’m in agreement with your plan. I’d resign Tauchman before even thinking about throwing money at Conforto.
I agree
“Coming off a few down YEARS”
That’s the answer when people in the chat ask why not? He’s not good at baseball anymore.
Why not just fill out rosters, since there is no way WS are going to even compete especially with LAD signing every top free agent every year
Because who would want to watch a team full of players on there to “fill up” the roster
They showed up when they only won 40 games, they still don’t look like they can win more than 63 at this point
I don’t see the WS coming up with a winner for 10 years if than . I have been a sox fan since 1957 . It seems like with the crosstown Cubs the Sox don’t like winning
If the need is a veteran to hold down RF until B. Montgomery is ready, then Tauchman is the better choice (if he’s still available).
Low base salary with incentives, sure. Other than that, it’s a waste of a roster spot.
Stay away from him. Far away from him
.888 vs. .864
Tucker’s best 4 year stretch vs. Conforto’s best 4 year stretch.
Fascinating.
What Conforto’s contract request
A.J. Pollock, Trayce Thompson, Miguel Vargas. I see a pattern here.
Maybe Mike Davis, John Shelby and Pete Guerrero next
Yeah me too
Boras ruined this guy.
“Ruined”…I disagree. I’m not a Boras fan, but Conforto represents some of Scott Boras’ best work. Getting a below average player $60M+ for his last several years of “play” can’t be easy.
Boras is a slick wheeler dealer . I would avoid him like the plague . Many players like him for his special ability for getting those large contracts
Conforto or Winker who would you rather have on our Sox?
Take comforto in conforto: no wankers
Neither
Neither
This guy is going to get a MLB contract again? His agent is good
This sounds like a leak from his agent, because no one is interested.
Perhaps deploying him as a platoon hitter could help his numbers. 🤷♂️
Meh, why not? If Conforto has a decent first half he becomes a tradeable piece at the deadline. And it’s not like he would really be blocking anyone from playing time
Very true
As a Dodger fan having conforto in the line up was a flinch. A non reason.
There is no White Sox move more White Sox than this. Totally on brand with their buy low, fail “meh” strategy.
Excellent and true opinion
No, you wanna win more games not less games
My thought exactly
An absolute worthless signing by a club that lacks a sensible direction.
The saddest part of this potential move is that no matter how much he gets it simply shows yet again that having no real ability to play at a professional level any longer he’s still getting paid. Even at league minimum I’d rather have a kid from the minors who is living his dream by playing in the bigs. Seriously, does anyone expect this guy to add anything to this team? Other than adding to the laundry bill. Good God. I was actually thinking the Sox were beginning to see a way out of their own miserable situation. Then we revert back to signing more warm bodies.
My thought exactly. I am tired of being tired as LOSERS
Conforto interested in retiring if the white sux are interested
Pineywoodpeckerhead 👎to you
” Conforto please RETIRE !!!
W.Sox should be the focus not Mr. Conforto . Big market team that chooses not to be one. Fans aren’t naive. Terrible organization from ownership to low minors.
Very true . It seems as though the team is almost happy losing
Not the greatest idea, but the Sox-are-hopeless crowd here are going to be surprised when this improving young team gives their team problems.
I love giving kids a chance but not so many kids at one time . We need a balance of veterans and kids !
In all honesty, this might not be that bad of a buy low gamble. I watched a lot of Dodger games and even though it was frustrating to watch this blackhole in the line-up, he really did square up a lot of balls that were outs. Obviously the Dodgers didn’t have a lot of options last year in the outfield, as seen with the Kyle Tucker acquisition, but I feel they were also seeing the same thing and extended his leash a bit as a result. Who knows, perhaps it was just a lot of bad luck and things may be different for him this year.
My SOX since 1955 will not lose 100 ga.es this year BUT it will may be close to 90 games lost . Getz is always going after everyone else over the hill players. I guess no money equals no quality players
JR gave Getz the green light to spend around 50M thus far, along with the payroll being a tad under 90M.
But is Michael Conforto interested in the White Sox?
The white Sox always think the cheapest way is always the best way .
The white Sox should have signed Lorenenz
Conforto has not had a season with a WAR over 1.5 since 2020. Sounds like a White Sox to me.