San Francisco Giants outfielder Michael Conforto has chosen to stay with the team for the 2024 season, as reported by Jon Heyman.
Conforto, who had the option to enter free agency and decline his $18 million option for the upcoming season, has decided to remain in San Francisco. It appeared unlikely that he could secure a contract with an average annual salary approaching that figure given his recent performance.
The 30-year-old Conforto has been working to regain his previous form after a shoulder injury that sidelined him for the entirety of the 2022 season. In his first season back from the injury, Conforto’s OPS was nearly .100 points below his career average from his seven seasons with the New York Mets. He posted a slash line of .239/.334/.384 for the Giants in 125 games last season.
The Giants are likely hoping that Conforto can rediscover his pre-injury performance, especially since he was named an All-Star in 2017 with the Mets and hit 33 home runs in 2019. Despite his struggles last year, Conforto ranked third on the team in RBI and fourth in home runs.
Conforto’s $18 million salary for the upcoming season will make him the second-highest-paid player on the Giants, with Mitch Haniger being the highest-paid at $19 million. However, Haniger had a challenging year in 2023 due to a fractured forearm, appearing in only 61 games.
While Conforto’s decision to stay was expected, it may have an impact on the Giants’ spending in the upcoming free-agent market. The team has been linked to Shohei Ohtani in various rumors, and they aim to be active in recruiting star players to San Francisco once again.