The Astros have been seeking a lefty-hitting outfielder for much of the offseason and have shown some recent interest in Michael Conforto, reports Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. McTaggart adds that Houston’s chances of trading infielder Isaac Paredes have “diminished” recently. Houston has reportedly been exploring the possibility of adding another lefty bat by way of a Paredes trade.
Conforto, 33 on March 1, is coming off a career-worst season with the Dodgers, wherein he slashed .199/.305/.333 in 486 trips to the plate. It’s the first decidedly below-average offensive performance in the big league career of the 2014 first-round pick and 2017 All-Star. That said, Conforto’s career has been on a downward trajectory since a shoulder injury caused him to miss the 2022 season.
Since returning from surgery, Conforto has played in three seasons with the Giants and Dodgers, hitting a combined .225/.316/.390 in 1444 plate appearances. He still draws plenty of walks (10.5% in that time) but hits more grounders and weak fly-balls than he used to, and his line-drive rate has dipped considerably (22.4% from 2015-21; 17.8% since). Conforto has generally hit righties well and been closer to average in left-on-left matchups, but he’s been better against lefties in each of the past two seasons (albeit in a small sample of 184 left-on-left plate appearances).
Given the lackluster overall performance since Conforto’s shoulder surgery and last season’s career-worst showing, the price tag to sign him won’t be prohibitive. At best, he’d command a low-cost one-year deal, but given that spring training is underway and interest doesn’t appear to have been robust throughout the winter, Conforto could also simply sign a minor league deal and head to big league camp with the Astros.
Yordan Alvarez is the only established left-handed hitter in Houston’s lineup. Young outfielders Zach Cole and Joey Loperfido are in the mix for Opening Day roster spots but have minimal major league experience. Broadly speaking, the outfield in Houston is rather unsettled, regardless of player handedness. Jake Meyers is locked into center field, but the rest of the picture seems fairly up for grabs. The team wants Alvarez to spend more time at DH than in left field this year. Cam Smith had a huge spring last year and a big start to his rookie season before fading considerably as the year went on. Cole struck out at a 35% clip in the minors. Loperfido posted roughly league-average offense with the Blue Jays’ Triple-A club (before being traded back to Houston last week). Former first-rounder Brice Matthews is a middle infielder by trade but has begun a transition to the outfield due to Houston’s crowded infield mix.
The Astros have explored trades of Paredes throughout the winter. His status as the starting third baseman was upended when they reacquired Carlos Correa at last year’s trade deadline. Paredes can also play first base, but that’s manned by Christian Walker in Houston. He’s owed $40MM over the next two seasons and unsurprisingly has not garnered much trade interest at that rate. An ideal situation might see the ‘Stros find a trade that sends Paredes out in exchange for a veteran corner outfielder, but they’ve come up empty despite considerable effort, so it’s not especially surprising to see them looking at some low-cost free agent alternatives in their quest to add a left-handed bat.
They are sinking to new lows please don’t get conforto
He sure stunk last year
Not since Andruw Jones has a healthy, once All-Star caliber player had a worse season with the Dodgers.
A very gratifying potential “delayed” “trade” between LAD and HOU for outfielders on clearly different trajectories
A little more power, walks and higher OPS than Mike Tauchman, who got a minor league contract. NOT a game changer and blocks one of the young OFers.
I would take Conforto because we need a vet presence in the outfield.
He’s terrible
I got a hit at Dodger stadium during a fan event once, and even I was better than Can’t-forto last year.
Decoy was better
Decoy is so cute.
Hitting off a tee does not count, but ya, you’re better.
I was pitched to by a dodger minor leaguer
What are you smoking? Tauchman blew Conforto away in OPS last year and was worth 1.9 bWAR. Conforto had one of the biggest negative bWAR’s in baseball.
Comforts has a lifetime .785 OPS, walks more, and averages 19 HRs.
Tauchman has a .727, walks less, and has zero power (13 HRs best year).
What are you smoking.?
I think you mean different things. Seam means this season, yankee means career.
All of Confortos best seasons were before 2021, so using his lifetime stats are pretty disingenuous. Also pretty disingenuous to call someone capable of at least reaching double digit home runs someone with “zero power”. Recent performance would probably be a better way to tell who’s best
If we’re judging career numbers there’s probably some cleanup hitters still available in FA.
Why don’t they just have Paredes take reps in left field? He couldn’t be much worse than Altuve or Yordan out there
He would be much worse than Altuve.
How do you figure? I think third is more difficult than left field?
Paredes’ range is much shorter than Altuve’s. And he’s not a plus defender at third base. I’d rather have Walker play left. Because he’s played there
They’ve fallen to a new level of GM incompetence. The end of the run was when owner Jim Crane though he knew more than GM James Click who build the World Series winning team..
I think Conforto is fine, but please don’t offer him for than a 2 million guarantee. I think that Dana Brown won’t give Conforto anything ridiculous but something like $1.25 million plus incentives and a club option for like $2.5 million with 75K buyout.
Conforto should jump at a minor league deal from the Astros. It is his best shot at a semi starting gig around. Any LH outfielder left on the market should be calling the Astros.
Don’t offer him more than a minor league deal with a camp invite.
Split deal?
Sure.
If they get a LH bat that way, why wouldn’t they try to trade Paredes for bullpen arms and/or utility IFs?
Still don’t understand why they can’t line up with the Pirates for this. It feels criminal to have a bat like Paredes’ not starting regularly. I understand an injury can quickly change that but still.
I think it’s the Pirates backing away from a Paredes trade. I guess you could get Conforto and the Astros don’t need a utility INF. If we get Conforto, I would take a package of prospects.
It’ll be interesting to see how much they could get Conforto for. Depends on how desperate he is but with Boras as his agent, I can’t imagine him making below $5M and being on a big-league deal rather than a minor league contract.
If that’s the case, the Astros are in the exact same position before they traded Sanchez if they hold on to Paredes.
I am still naively optimistic that something between the Astros and Pirates can be worked out.
I don’t think so. Conforto is a declining player and Boras would rather get his agent this much money rather no money at all.
It’s hard to say, honestly. Spotrac has him projected for over $6M and I’m wondering if he’s waited to sign until teams are desparate like the Astros.
Last year was his first year with a below 100 OPS+ since 2016. I’d imagine Boras will point to some of his peripherals: his bat speed is still in the top quarter of the league, an above average xwOBA, doesn’t chase, walks a bit. He’s honestly not a terrible hitter. I could easily see him making $5M.
If he costs $6 million, Astros will pass on him. If he costs $5 million, so will he.
“I’m wondering if he’s waited to sign until teams are desparate like the Astros.”
I think it’s the other way around. Look at Nathaniel Lowe or Mike Tauchman.
Yeah, that Tauchman signing was a steal by the Mets. He deserves more than that. Shocked he didn’t get a MLB deal.
Injury risk, I’m guessing.
No comment.
I’d rather have Paredes than Correa. They kind of botched that (fan-favorite or not)
100% Idk what they were thinking outside of overestimating Walkers trade value
They don’t want to give away Walker for free, considering the fact they think he still has upside.
No one would take him for free. Astros would have to take on some of the contract, or add a prospect.
Both probably, that’s why they don’t want to do it, because other teams underestimate Walker.
Agree. Lots of upside. Seemed to understand the ballpark better the second half of the year with solid production (albeit with too many SO’s). Good guy. Hope this is his year. He’s putting in the work.
They were thinking “we’re a few games out of the top seed in the AL and we just lost our All-Star 3B for the season. But a chance to plug that hole with a franchise icon on a discount just fell in our lap so f–k it we’ll figure it out in the offseason.”
Always like Mike, watched him come up with the Mets. I think he’s finished though.
The White Sox were “ interested” in him about a month ago and even they passed on him.
He could be all Astros if Dana Brown offers a MLB deal
Conforto won’t cost much and if he continues to decline wouldn’t hurt financially to cut. In a strict platoon he might be able to squeeze a last drop of offense out of his bat
FGDC Projections
Player wOBA WAR/PA
Myers .307 2.2/490
Smith .307 1.0/454
Cole .300 0.8/434
Loperfido .302 0.6/399
Dezenzo .306 0.2/133
Conforto .319 0.5/294
They love Meyers. I think Smith is going to perform better, same with Cole and Loperfido. Deznezo is going to get a good chunk of time in the minors. He’s more like a trade chip. I would take Meyers’ projection all day everyday.
It’s a match made in heaven. He stinks and the Halos stink!
You stink too! It’s an Astros post, not Angels.
Conforto has been in decline since he almost immediately rejected the Mets qualifying offer a few years ago and stormed out the door, acting like this was his big payday coming up. I thought that was funny when he did that. Then he went and got hurt and missed a whole year. This guy should just take whatever he can get even if it’s a minor league deal and just try to build off of that if he wants to keep playing.
Previous to that he turned down 5/100M from the Mets. Dope.
What was it Nancy Reagan used to say?
Oh yes, “JUST SAY NO!”
Wrong hole!
Boras trying to make a market for his worst client that has already stolen money from two different teams since he left the Mets
I think he found the right team, but it’s not like Conforto is getting a ton.
Might as well trade Paredes for Joey Bart and a pitcher prospect down at AA. Better deal than this idea, at least
That’s not a fair trade, given the Pirates pitching prospects in AA.
I still don’t think the Astros are as stupid as some of these rumors make them seem
They are interested in Conforto doesn’t mean they are going to give him big money. He’s receiving a contract underneath 2 million.
if only a team with a glut of lh bats in the OF could have used a 2nd or 3rd basemen a week ago.
The Sox were the ones who wouldn’t deal.
KBO bat
Might as well bring in Michael Brantley if the ‘stros are considering someone like Conforto. As a Dodger fan, I recommend they reconsider.
I’ll take Michael Brantley as a coach.
Professional hitter. Would be a great hitting coach.
I would agree with these comments, he would probably be a great hitting coach.
As a Dodger fan, what do you think were the reasons for Conforto’s struggles? Because he had a pretty productive 2024. Thanks
I don’t know the cause of his struggles were with the Dodgers. I always was a fan of Conforto from afar, as he reminds me a lot of my favorite Dodger, Andre Ethier. He didn’t have a particularly strong finish with the Mets and didn’t play at all in 2022 and hasnt been the same since. He did put up some slightly above average numbers in SF, but last year was rough. Maybe he felt out of place on the team. The Dodgers clubhouse seems very welcoming and inviting, but he didn’t click.
I’d happily give him a minor league deal with a camp invite but there’s no way I’m giving him a guaranteed deal.
It’ll either be an MILB deal, a “split” contract like Taylor Trammell has, or an extremely cheap MLB deal for like $1 million. I like the idea of a split contract as it incentivizes Conforto instead of giving him a guaranteed deal .I like the idea of bringing Conforto in, but I also like the idea of bringing Jesse Winker in too on an MILB deal, he honestly actually may have more upside. Winker’s 2024 was very good, if he can just stay healthy. Conforto’s ’24 was also good. I’d look out for Jack Suwinski on the waiver wire too as a low cost pickup. Have roster spots available since Wesneski, Blanco, and Walter can all be moved to the 60 day IL.
Hopefully this is the last we see of DANA and ESPADA and they are both gone next off season.
Really not even sure what this team is going to look like. they got fixer uppers for the Rotation and that. Bullpen will have some Starters that are out of work.
I liked things better back when LUHNOW was GM and Hinch was Manager. Dusty too. Click as GM was ok. Despite 2017 and more Hinch was great and Luhnow too. Dana is a scout. He to me has no REAL GM life. Crane will not spend either. But I do not want to go out and spend 20 years on a player for 600 million or such and he only be good for not even half those 20 years. Has Soto been all that for his 15 year deal with Mets. I would like to see someone that has a bat but Houston went to sleep on trying to get Donavan and Seattle picked him up. Crane did not want to spend. Do I see this team taking the top back this season, no. But how they come out of the gate. ST does not make someone great or bad either. That is what Espada fell for last season with Cam. He was great in ST. Started season looking good but just lost it rest of way. But was not any better with Sanchez and others fully. What will Cole, Dezenzo and others look like in Outfield. Paredes is not outfield material as some want to put him out there. Will Matthews fit the outfield not sure. Just not sure who all will make team or how bats will be found when main starters should be Pena, Altuve, Yordan, Paredes, Diaz, Walker, Meyers, or switch Meyers and Walker. I know missing one or two but not sure with some like Cam, Dezenzo, or such. If we do get Conforto or someone else. And what if Biggio shows some stuff and makes team. Or is he just going to be in minors as backup if an injury.
Conforto and Montas were the mindblowingly dumb 17mil contracts last year. Have any fantasy player GM for a year!
Minor league contract only.
Hello, me not dead?
Talk about a guy who got bad advice from his agent. Back in 2020 the Mets offered him something like $125 million over 5 years, but Borass convinced him to test the market after the 2021 season. Well he went out and had his worst season as a Met in 2021, so they said goodbye, and then he injured the shoulder in the offseason so that he couldn’t even play in 2022. He was never the same afterwards, and because of Borass he missed out on that $125 mil payday.
It’s too bad, I liked the guy when he was on the Mets, he always seemed like a good kid.
SAE
“Borass convinced him to test the market”
You don’t know this
Ewww. Desperation is a stinky cologne
Detroit ships Carpenter to Houston for Paredes. Paredes solves the Tigers thirdbase issue. Detroit can use Vierling as the rightfielder. Houston gets a lefthanded bat for their outfield.
How much money did Boras cost this guy?
Journeyman Ben Gamel would be a better choice than Conforto at this point.
Ben Gamel signed with the Braves in December. I like Gamel a lot though, so I don’t necessarily disagree.