The Los Angeles Dodgers would seem to have no real problems.
The defending World Series champions are riding high with the best record in baseball at 24-12 entering Wednesday. But they do have one problem, and its name is Michael Conforto.
The Dodgers signed the 10-year veteran in the offseason, handing the New York Mets’ 2014 first-round draft choice – who had spent the past two years with the San Francisco Giants – a one-year, $17 million contract.
In return, Conforto has delivered a sickly .142 batting average and .519 OPS. Heading into Wednesday’s game against the Miami Marlins in Florida, Conforto had notched exactly one hit in his last 35 at-bats.
That hit came Monday in his third at-bat, breaking an 0-for-30 drought.
Through his struggles, Conforto has managed to maintain the support of manager Dave Roberts. But even the Dodgers skipper is running out of patience.
“I have thought about it,” Roberts said on Sunday, when asked if he had plans to bench Conforto. “If he doesn’t look more comfortable, to be able to give him a couple days off might make sense.”
But something else might make sense as well: a trade to acquire a replacement for Conforto in the Dodgers lineup.
The Boston Red Sox have a surplus of outfielders, and have been looking for a way to bring baseball’s No. 1 prospect, outfielder Roman Anthony, up to Fenway Park from Triple-A Worcester.
To do that, one of Boston’s outfielders will need to go.
