Dodgers could land Pirates $107M All-Star in place of Michael Conforto, per insider
Nearly everyone assumed that Conforto would somehow be great for the Dodgers after inking a one-year, $17 million contract this offseason. He was decent for the Dodgers' rivals, the San Francisco Giants, but the Dodgers usually seem to get the most out of their veteran signees.
Advertisement
Instead, Conforto has a .173 average, .602 OPS, and -1.0 bWAR in 71 games. The Dodgers seem to be experimenting with more left field alternatives of late, and a trade before the Jul. 31 deadline could wind up sealing Conforto's fate.
Is that trade coming? It's too early to say, but one baseball insider has an interesting idea of who the Dodgers could acquire.
On Tuesday, Russell Dorsey of Yahoo Sports named Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Brian Reynolds as a potential trade fit for the Dodgers.
"Longtime outfielder Michael Conforto was supposed to fill that need after a strong 2024 season, but that success has not followed him to L.A., as Conforto is slashing just .173/.300/.302 with six homers and 77 wRC+ this season," Dorsey wrote.
Advertisement
Follow The Sporting News On WhatsApp
"Starting pitching should be the Dodgers' main concern ahead of the trade deadline, but acquiring an additional outfielder who could replace Conforto or allow Teoscar Hernández to move back to left field should also be a target. Potential targets: Bryan Reynolds (Pirates)."
Reynolds is only in year three of an eight-year, $106.75 million extension, so it would be something of a surprise to see him get traded. Then again, it's the Pirates, so any chance they have to save a buck, they might just take.
But the 30-year-old Reynolds also has just a .709 OPS and -0.3 bWAR of his own. Do the Dodgers really want to sink more money into the corner outfield, especially for a 5 1/2-year commitment, just to hope for marginal improvement?
More MLB: Dodgers predicted to bring 103-mph lefty fireballer to Los Angeles
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Notre Dame offensive lineman Charles Jagusah breaks arm in UTV accident in Wyoming
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame offensive lineman Charles Jagusah broke his left arm Saturday in a utility task vehicle accident in Wyoming. School officials announced Sunday that Jagusah had surgery to repair his fractured humerus, which is a bone located between the shoulder and elbow. They said the initial prognosis was 'favorable' and that he would return to campus this week for further evaluation and continued care. Advertisement This marks the second consecutive year that Jagusah, one of Notre Dame's most promising offensive linemen, has suffered a major injury before the season. Jagusah was projected to open 2024 as Notre Dame's starting left tackle, but he tore his right pectoral muscle during preseason practice. He came back to play in the Fighting Irish's final three College Football Playoff games. He started at left tackle and played all 63 of the Irish's offensive snaps in their 34-23 title game loss to Ohio State. He primarily played guard in their 27-24 Orange Bowl semifinal victory over Penn State. He was expected to open this season as Notre Dame's starter at right guard. The Irish begin the season Aug. 31 at Miami. ___ AP college football: The Associated Press
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
What to know about Michigan State heading into 2025
Jonathan Smith struggled in his first year as head coach at Michigan State, a program looking to return to national prominence after the failed Mel Tucker experiment. The Spartans have quietly been rebuilding their roster back up with a healthy infusion of transfer portal pickups and some returning talent. Michigan State hasn't earned much buzz from a national level, and the group is embracing the underdog role, which Smith thrived in at Oregon State. Here's a look at the Spartans as the 2025 season draws closer. Advertisement 2024 in review Michigan State's Nathan Carter, center, and the team take the field before the football game against Purdue on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Michigan State struggled to take care of the ball last season and quarterback Aidan Chiles failed to live up to expectations after following Smith from Corvallis to East Lansing. The Spartans finished just 5-7 and failed to make a bowl game for the third consecutive season, leaving fans hungry for improvement. The offensive line struggled again, as it has for several years, but there's hope it'll take a step forward this fall. Nick Marsh was the team's leading receiver as a true freshman, and he'll have more help around him after some transfer additions. The signs are pointing toward a significantly improved offense in 2025 and a return to a bowl game. Head coach profile Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith looks on from the sideline during the third quarter in the game against Rutgers on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Smith was considered a big hire after the success he achieved with Oregon State, a program with fewer resources and worse facilities, but the move hasn't paid off yet. His six-year stint with the Beavers marked his first head coaching experience, and after going 2-10 in 2018, he led the team to steady improvement. Oregon State improved to 5-7 in 2019, took a slight step back during the COVID-19 season and then went 7-6 in 2021 with the team's first bowl appearance since 2013. The team peaked at 10-3 in 2022, followed by an 8-5 campaign before he left for Michigan State. His experience rebuilding a program from the basement of a conference should come in handy with the Spartans. Advertisement Top offensive player Nov 30, 2024; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans wide receiver Nick Marsh (6) is upside-down after catching a first quarter pass against Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive back Al-Shadee Salaam (21) at Spartan Stadium. Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive back Shaquan Loyal (6) is in pursuit. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images Marsh was a highly coveted 4-star recruit who earned praise for his elite track speed. The Spartans are rumored to have dropped a large NIL bag to land Marsh, and the investment paid off with 41 receptions, 649 yards and three touchdowns as a true freshman. With an improved offensive line and more targets to take the pressure off, he should see elevated success this season, potentially eclipsing 1,000 yards. Top defensive players Michigan State's Nikai Martinez, right, tackles Rutgers' Ja'shon Benjamin during the fourth quarter on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Michigan State struggled defensively last season but one of the bright spots was safety Nikai Martinez, who transferred in from UCF and had a seamless transition to Big Ten play. Martinez amassed 51 tackles and two interceptions last season, including at least three tackles in every game. Entering his senior season, Martinez is viewed as one of the veteran leaders of the unit. Advertisement 2025 schedule Aug. 29 (Fri.) vs. Western Michigan Sept. 6 vs. Boston College Sept. 13 vs. Youngstown State Sept. 20 at USC Oct. 4 at Nebraska Oct. 11 vs. UCLA Oct. 18 at Indiana Oct. 25 vs. Michigan Nov. 1 at Minnesota Nov. 15 vs Penn State Nov. 22 at Iowa Nov. 29 vs. Maryland The battle for the Land-Grant Trophy returns, with Michigan State hosting Penn State after the two took a gap year in 2024. The two have a surprisingly even history, with the Nittany Lions leading the Spartans 19-18-1 in the all-time series, including winning the last two. This year's matchup will pit an improved Michigan State offense against one of the top defenses in the country, although it's unlikely the Spartans' defense will be able to match up against Penn State's rushing attack when the two clash in mid-November. Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X, Facebook, and Threads This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: What to know about Michigan State
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Wild's Vladimir Tarasenko Makes Admission on Red Wings Exit
Wild's Vladimir Tarasenko Makes Admission on Red Wings Exit originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Detroit Red Wings made a surprising signing last offseason when they acquired forward Vladimir Tarasenko, inking him to a two-year contract. Advertisement Tarasenko played for both the Ottawa Senators and the Florida Panthers in 2023-24, recording 55 points in 76 games in both stints combined. Already in Detroit, the Russian winger struggled mightily to find that pace or even get remotely close to it, finishing the 2024-25 regular season with a meager 33 points in 80 games, his worst production in any season in which he played more than 38 games. That low production prompted Detroit to trade him to the Minnesota Wild on June 30, on the verge of the start of free agency. On a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, Tarasenko admitted to initiating the talks for a trade and a move out of Detroit himself, saying the time had come for a change. Advertisement 'Yeah, we wanted a change,' Tarasenko said. 'The trade happened. I don't even know what else to say. Probably to most questions about the past, I'll say that the past is behind us.' Explaining his drop in production, Tarasenko cited the effect of moving between four teams over two years, including a Stanley Cup-winning season with Florida in 2024, making his campaign longer than usual, lasting into late June. Detroit Red Wings right wing Vladimir Tarasenko (11) gets set during a Osentoski-Imagn Images 'I have a lot of time this summer,' Tarasenko said. 'I think for the first time in my career, I have so much time to prepare for the season. It is possible to rest not only physically but also mentally.' Advertisement Tarasenko has 662 career points in 831 games and is now aiming to bounce back in Minnesota with a full offseason to recover and prepare. Now with the Wild, the 33-year-old sees a chance to reset as he enters his final year under contract. 'I will come and try to help the team in any way possible,' Tarasenko said. 'I feel like every year I have something to prove.' Related: Red Wings' Dylan Larkin Makes Major Life Announcement on Friday Related: Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman Addresses Unmet Fan Expectations in Press Conference This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
