Report: Red Sox have spoken with free agent outfielder Michael Conforto
Conforto would give the Red Sox another true outfielder along with Jackie Bradley Jr. in right field
The Red Sox are still looking for upgrades to their roster and reportedly the club has spoken with free agent outfielder Michael Conforto, per Mike Rodriguez of Univision.
Conforto is still unsigned as the 2022 season has begun and is easily the best free agent on the market.
There has been a reason that Conforto has been a free agent up to this point. Conforto’s agent Scott Boras offered an explanation to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic and Joel Sherman of The New York Post.
The left-handed hitting outfielder suffered a right shoulder strain while he was training back in January. Boras has also stated his client is fully healthy and is hitting and throwing. The injury did slow down Conforto’s preparation but he is working at being ready for the new season.
Prior to the start of the offseason, Conforto turned down the one-year, $18.4 million qualifying offer back in November. Since then the Mets have signed outfielders Starling Marie and Mark Canha. It is unlikely that Conforto will return to Citi Field with the home team.
Conforto is coming off a down season with the Mets. The 29-year-old outfielder produced a .232/.344/.384 batting line with 14 homers and 20 doubles in his 479 plate appearances in 2021.
Any team that signs Conforto will have to surrender a draft pick due to the Mets offering him a qualifying offer back in November. However any team who signs the outfielder could get him on a cheaper one-year prove it deal due to his injury history.
The potential addition of Conforto would give Boston a natural option for right field. The club is currently platooning Jackie Bradley Jr. and Christian Arroyo in right field. Arroyo has never played in the outfield and has been working on getting comfortable in the outfield.
“It’s good. There’s really nothing that’s been hard about it,” Arroyo said. ‘It’s just kind of getting reps out there. Just catching fly balls and stuff. I feel like when you overthink it, that’s when it gets quote-unquote hard. But for me, nah. I just try to go out there and make the plays.”
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