Report: Giants expect to make cost-effective comfort trade. Originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area.
Michael Conforto is one of the players whose name regularly pops up in trade rumors if the Giants plan to sell before the July 30 MLB trade deadline, and San Francisco may be able to get a deal done without shouldering any of the veteran player’s remaining salary.
The Giants expect to be able to trade Conforto without incurring the remaining $6 million on his contract, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported Saturday.
San Francisco’s confidence reportedly comes from a lack of left-handed outfielders on the trade market, giving the Giants significant leverage if they enter into negotiations regarding Conforto.
Conforto hasn’t performed well at Oracle Park the past two seasons, but Rosenthal reports that his performance at the visitors’ stadium could pique the interest of other teams, especially those in hitter-friendly ballparks.
“During his time with the Giants, Conforto has posted a .672 OPS at home and a .754 OPS on the road,” Rosenthal wrote. “In a season where outfield production has declined league-wide, his value may be higher than some think.”
Conforto is batting just .226 with 10 homers and 40 RBIs in 80 games this season, but he has generally performed better on the road than at Oracle Park, which is less favorable for hitters.
Since signing a two-year, $36 million contract with San Francisco in December 2022, Conforto has batted .234 with 25 home runs and 98 RBIs in 205 games with the Giants.
San Francisco enters Saturday’s doubleheader with the Colorado Rockies with a 50-55 record and 5 1/2 games behind the New York Mets for the National League’s third and final wild-card spot.
Given the Giants’ tough start after the MLB All-Star break, it may be too much for San Francisco to ignore teams offering Conforto a strong package, even if they remain confident they can make progress in the final two months of the regular season.
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