SF Giants outfielder Michael Conforto expects to be 100% by Opening Day

SF Giants outfielder Michael Conforto has yet to play in the field this spring, but he is confident he'll be a full go by Opening Day.

Marc Delucchi | Mar 3, 2023

SF Giants outfielder Michael Conforto expects to be 100% by Opening Day /

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San Francisco Giants

The SF Giants are hoping to get a resurgent season from outfielder Michael Conforto. The longtime Mets outfielder inked a two-year, $36 million contract with San Francisco this offseason after missing the entire 2022 season with a shoulder injury. This spring, Conforto has returned to action as a designated hitter but has yet to appear in a game defensively. However, Conforto according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post that he feels confident he is nearing 100%.

SF Giants outfielder Michael Conforto poses for a portrait during photo day at Scottsdale Stadium. (2023) — SF Giants outfielder Michael Conforto poses for a portrait. (2023) / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

"Conforto is DH-ing so far for the Giants," Heyman wrote. "But they say the bat looks great and he expects to be back in the outfield this spring, and fully ready by Opening Day. The arm strength is there, but his usual precise accuracy is still coming, he said. He said he just needs more reps to be right back where he was before the incident."

When healthy, Conforto has played all three outfield positions, including center field. Granted, he has played almost exclusively right field since 2020. Prior to his injuries, Conforto was consistently a top-graded defensive right fielder.

From 2015-2020, Conforto was one of the most consistent outfielders in the majors, hitting .259/.358/.484 with 30 home runs per 162 games. He hit at least 27 homers in a season for three straight years from 2017-2019. In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Conforto had the best numbers of his career, recording an exceptional .322/.412/.515 triple-slash with 12 doubles and 9 home runs in 54 games.

However, a series of shoulder injuries have derailed Conforto in the years since. He was ranked the 40th-best free agent this offseason, per Giants Baseball Insider's rankings. His shoulder first began giving him problems in 2021. He missed more than a month on the injured list and posted a career-worst .232/.344/.384 line. Then, Conforto seriously injured his right shoulder, requiring surgery while he was a free agent in the 2021-22 offseason.

The SF Giants are hoping Michael Conforto returns to form offensively, but given the team's defensive struggles in 2022, it would be a massive boon for Conforto to return to form as an excellent defensive right fielder. According to Heyman, Conforto should be back to 100% before Opening Day.

Published Mar 3, 2023

MARC DELUCCHI

Marc Delucchi (he/they/she) serves as the Managing Editor at Giants Baseball Insider, leading their SF Giants coverage. As a freelance journalist, he has previously covered the San Francisco Giants at Around the Foghorn and McCovey Chronicles. He also currently contributes to Niners Nation, Golden State of Mind, and Baseball Prospectus. He has previously been featured in several other publications, including SFGate, ProFootballRumors, Niners Wire, GrandStand Central, Call to the Pen, and Just Baseball. Over his journalistic career, Marc has conducted investigations into how one prep baseball player lost a college opportunity during the pandemic (Baseball Prospectus) and the rampant mistreatment of players at the University of Hawaii football program under former head coach Todd Graham (SFGate). He has also broken dozens of news stories around professional baseball, primarily around the SF Giants organization, including the draft signing of Kyle Harrison, injuries and promotions to top prospects like Heliot Ramos, and trade details in the Kris Bryant deal. Marc received a Bachelor's degree from Kenyon College with a major in economics and a minor in Spanish. During his time in college, he conducted a summer research project attempting to predict the future minor-league performance of NCAA hitters, worked as a data analyst for the school's Women's basketball team, and worked as a play-by-play announcer/color commentator for the basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. He also worked as an amateur baseball scout with the Collegiate Baseball Scouting Network (later renamed Evolution Metrix), scouting high school and college players for three draft cycles. For tips and inquiries, feel free to reach out to Marc directly on Twitter or via email (delucchimarc@gmail.com).