The Los Angeles Dodgers are unable to give up on outfielder Michael Conforto (32), who has fallen into a severe hitting slump with a batting average of .100. Andrew Friedman, the president of baseball operations, also declared that the team is unlikely to trade Conforto.

On the 19th (Korea time), the Dodgers excluded Conforto from the starting lineup against the San Diego Padres. In 65 games this season, he has a batting average of .168, with 34 hits in 202 at-bats, 4 home runs, and 13 RBIs. Conforto, who is showing extreme underperformance with an OPS of .582, has been given starting status, playing left field in 62 games.

However, on that day, Andy Pahes took Conforto's place in left field, and utility player Kim Hye-sung entered the starting lineup as center fielder. In a pre-game interview, Dave Roberts, the Dodgers' manager, said, “I want to give Conforto a day off. He needs time to watch the game from a distance.”

Later, Manager Roberts pointed out that the reason for Conforto's slump is, “The problem is that he can't hit the fastball properly. If he misses the fastball, he keeps chasing after breaking balls. He knows that himself,” and regarding the possibility of him losing his starting position, he said, “I still think Conforto will get a lot of playing time,” indicating that his starting role remains unchanged.

President Friedman also believes in Conforto's rebound. The Los Angeles Times reported on the 19th, “The Dodgers have one significant weakness in their lineup. Conforto is the only starting player performing below average. There is also a utility player named Kim Hye-sung on the bench,” and asked Friedman about the possibility of acquiring a left fielder before the July trade deadline.

Friedman said, “Conforto has not reached the level we expected so far. However, he is consistently making efforts, and if you look at the progress he is making, I am confident that the next two months will be much better than the last two months.”

Regarding the possibility of trading for a left fielder, Friedman said, “I can’t say it’s absolutely impossible, but we will maintain a very high standard. I believe the chances of a trade are very low,” indicating that he won’t shake up the current lineup.

The Dodgers are determined to trust Conforto for the time being. They have no intention of easily giving up on Conforto, whom they signed in free agency for a one-year contract worth $17 million last winter. Although it is a one-year contract, it is a high salary, and since the season has not even passed its midway point, they still hold hopes for a rebound.

Conforto, who was selected by the New York Mets as the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 2014 draft, is a strong prospect who bats right-handed and throws left-handed. Since making his Major League debut in 2015, he has played a total of 1,012 games through last year, achieving a batting average of .251 with 851 hits in 3,395 at-bats, 167 home runs, and 520 RBIs, along with an OPS of .804. He was selected as an All-Star for the first time with the Mets in 2017 and showcased impressive power by hitting 27, 28, and 33 home runs over three consecutive years until 2019.

During the shortened 2020 season due to COVID-19, Conforto showed his skills with a batting average of .322 over 54 games, accumulating 9 home runs and 31 RBIs with an OPS of .927, which led to the Mets offering him an extension contract worth over $100 million. However, Conforto turned down this offer and played for another year before entering the free agency market, but faced cold reception. His performance dropped due to a shoulder injury in 2021, and after undergoing shoulder surgery in April 2022, he rehabilitated as a free agent. He lost an entire season.

In January 2023, Conforto signed a free agent contract worth $36 million over two years with the San Francisco Giants and rebounded somewhat during the previous season, registering a batting average of .237 with 104 hits in 438 at-bats, 20 home runs, and 66 RBIs, with an OPS of .759. The Dodgers, having witnessed his performance in the latter part of the season, offered him a one-year contract worth $17 million. As the seventh-highest-paid player on the team, the Dodgers are also not willing to easily let him go. With a 4.5-game lead in the division, the Dodgers have the luxury of being patient.

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