Dodgers $17 Million Former All-Star Predicted to Have Career Revival in LA

Feb 18, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Michael Conforto (23) looks on during spring training workouts at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers had been linked to outfielder Teoscar Hernández from the moment the offseason began. However, the L.A. front office surprised many by signing another outfielder on the eve of the Winter Meetings.

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Dodgers fans were expecting the Dodgers to ink a deal with Hernández early in the offseason, but instead, the reigning World Series champions signed Michael Conforto to a one-year, $17 million contract.

In 2024, Conforto hit at a .237 clip with 20 home runs, 66 runs batted in, and a .759 OPS for the San Francisco Giants. Additionally, he posted the lowest single-season walk rate of his career (8.6 percent), but also the highest full-season hard-hit rate (46.3 percent).

Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly predicts Conforto to have a career revival with the Dodgers in 2025.

"Between 2017 and 2020, he was 34 percent better than average and tallied 34 home runs per 162 games," Kelly wrote. "But since then, he battled injuries in 2021 and 2022 and was a modest eight percent better than average in 2023 and 2024. As they usually are, though, the Dodgers are onto something with Conforto.

"He may not have had the results to show for it, but he legitimately crushed the ball last season. At 90.2 mph, his exit velocity was his best since 2016. And at 46.0 percent, his hard-hit rate was his best since 2015."

In December, Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes revealed Conforto's expected role in 2025.

“I don’t believe Michael is now a better hitter vs. left than right,” Gomes said. “I do believe with his swing and his path that he will handle left-handers better than he has historically, and he will still maintain a very high level vs. right, especially when you look at what he did on the road and some of the under-the-hood stuff.”

The Dodgers are known for their esteemed player development. It would be no surprise if Conforto has a standout performance with L.A. in 2025 — similar to Hernández's bounce back season in his first year with the Dodgers in 2024.

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