With a losing record and second-to-last position in the National League West, the San Francisco Giants have experienced a dismal first quarter of the season.
If the club doesn’t play better moving ahead, the front office might decide to rebuild around youthful talent and trade some players away, even if there is still time to turn things around. And if so, Michael Conforto, a 2017 All-Star outfielder, would be the most likely player to go, according to Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report.
“Michael Conforto signed a two-year, $36 million deal with the Giants after missing the 2022 season recovering from shoulder surgery, but his return to action was lacklustre at best with a.239/.334/.384 line and 15 home runs in 125 games,” Reuter said. “He is a potential impact bat in a market light on offensive upgrades, but he will need to pick up where he left off once he returns. The Giants may need to include some cash to pay down his $18 million salary if they want a solid prospect return.”
Previously, the San Francisco Giants have replaced Michael Conforto
Conforto has made a huge cut.With seven home runs and twenty RBI in 143 at-bats this season, he is batting 280/.331/.490, ranking among the team’s most productive players. However, a right hamstring strain put him on the 10-day disabled list, forcing the team to look into other options for his replacement.
Nick Deeds of MLB Trade Rumours wrote, “(Luis) Matos, a 22-year-old who was a consensus top-100 prospect back in 2022, is replacing Conforto on the club’s active roster.” “Aside from Matos, Conforto’s injury may give players like Blake Sabol and Wilmer Flores more playing time in the near future.”
The Giants appear to be leaning towards younger players as they witness underwhelming performances from a number of veterans, including offseason additions Matt Chapman and Jorge Soler, and outfielder Jung Hoo Lee’s season-ending shoulder surgery.
The fact that Matos has taken over for Conforto and is playing well could be another factor in the Giants’ decision to deal the veteran.
Shortly after Matos made his debut, Andrew Baggarly wrote for The Athletic, “Matos might be having the greatest all-around week by a Giants position player in decades, and what’s more, everyone else heated up around him in the Giants’ 14-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies.” “The Giants seem capable of a sudden acceleration for the first time this season.”
This season, Matos has made eight starts in the outfield and slashed.325/.341/.550 with two home runs and eight RBI. Matos will most likely stay on the big-league club as Lee’s successor when Conforto recovers from injury.
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