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The MLB Winter Meetings are beginning in earnest. Many are waiting with bated breath to see where Juan Soto signs in MLB Free Agency. However, a non-Soto domino fell on Sunday night as the Meetings began involving Michael Conforto and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Conforto has reached an agreement with the Dodgers, according to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal. Rosenthal notes the contract is a one-year pact worth $17 million for the 2025 MLB season. This is slightly down from the $18 million he earned on a two-year contract he signed with the San Francisco Giants in 2023.
It's an intriguing move from the Dodgers. Los Angeles has been seen as one of the five teams in on Soto. However, reports have indicated the Dodgers may not be offering more than $700 million like other teams in those sweepstakes.
While signing Conforto won't prevent a Soto deal, it does give the team some depth. Conforto finished the 2024 season with 20 home runs, 66 runs batted in, and a slash line of .237/.309/.450. He played 106 games in the outfield for the Giants while serving as the DH on 21 occasions.
The Dodgers could certainly use some outfield depth depending on how MLB Free Agency unfolds. Some teams interested in Soto view Teoscar Hernandez as a contingency plan. Additionally, Kevin Kiermaier retired after winning the World Series with Los Angeles.
Signing Michael Conforto gives the Dodgers some insurance if Hernandez signs elsewhere. Conforto may not provide a similar amount of offensive production, to be fair. In saying this, he is a solid offensive contributor in his own right. And he is a solid defensive option, as well.
It will certainly be interesting to see what happens in the wake of this deal. In any event, MLB Free Agency is certainly heating up at the MLB Winter Meetings. The Dodgers made the first move in what is sure to be a chaotic week of news.
