Giants' Michael Conforto: Making outfield debut Thursday
Rotowire
Conforto (shoulder) is starting in right field and batting leadoff for the Giants in Thursday's Cactus League game against the Brewers.
It'll be his first appearance in the outfield since 2021. Conforto missed the entire 2022 season because of a shoulder injury that ultimately required surgery, but his rehab has gone so well that he appears likely to be a corner-outfield option for San Francisco throughout the 2023 campaign. The 30-year-old slugger was brought in on a one-year, $18 million contract in December.
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Giants' Michael Conforto: To begin OF play Thursday
Rotowire
Conforto (shoulder) is scheduled to begin playing the outfield in Cactus League games Thursday, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.
Conforto hit his second home run in as many games Tuesday out of the DH spot, and he can soon test his surgically-repaired shoulder with live action in the corner outfield. The early word from Giants camp was that Conforto was having trouble with the accuracy of some of his throws, but perhaps those issues have since been resolved. He inked a one-year, $18 million contract with San Francisco in December after having to sit out the entire 2022 campaign.
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Giants' Michael Conforto: Throws from 200 feet
Rotowire
Conforto (shoulder) took the final step in his throwing progression Friday, Evan Webeck of the San Jose Mercury News reports.
Conforto played long toss from 200 feet, and Webeck notes that his throws were encouragingly clocked in the high 80s. The 29-year-old will be limited to DH duties in the early part of the Cactus League schedule, but it sounds like he'll be fit to serve as the Giants' primary left fielder come Opening Day. Conforto missed the entire 2022 season following right shoulder surgery before inking a one-year, $18 million contract with San Francisco in December.
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Giants' Michael Conforto: Will DH at start of camp
Rotowire
Conforto will operate as a designated hitter in the early stages of spring training, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Areareports.
Conforto missed all of 2022 while recovering from right shoulder surgery, and he still needs to build up his arm strength, as Pavlovic notes. Once he completes his throwing progressions, the 29-year-old should see the majority of his playing time in left field, but he could log a fair share of reps as the designated hitter during the regular season as well.
Giants' Michael Conforto: Gets two-year deal with Giants
Rotowire
Conforto agreed Friday with the Giants on a one-year, $18 million contract, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
Buster Olney of ESPN relays that Conforto's contract contains an $18 million player option for 2024. Though Conforto doesn't represent the big free-agent bat the Giants had been hoping to sign after the team had been in on Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa, among others, the 29-year-old outfielder was one of the few hitters still available who has some upside. Conforto missed the entire 2022 season following surgery on his right shoulder but is expected to enter spring training without any limitations. Conforto is going to a park which suppresses left-handed power, so this isn't a great landing spot for fantasy purposes. However, the most important thing will be just showing he's healthy again.
Conforto (shoulder) remains engaged in hitting and throwing programs and isn't expected to face any restrictions for spring training, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.
Morosi notes that Conforto has been hitting for several months now, but his involvement in a throwing program implies that he's back to full health after he underwent surgery on his right shoulder in mid-April. Conforto had hoped to sign with a team last summer to serve as a designated hitter in the second half of the 2022 campaign, but he ultimately couldn't find an offer to his liking in free agency and sat out the entire season. Now that he's further removed from surgery, Conforto will aim to secure a more lucrative deal on the open market. The fact that he should be available to play the corner outfield at the start of the 2023 season should only help his efforts to find an opportunity somewhere.
