Dodgers make Michael Conforto decision amid ‘deep slump’
Context:
The Los Angeles Dodgers, after significant financial investments to strengthen their roster for a World Series run, face mixed results with their new additions. All-Star closer Tanner Scott shows promise with eight saves and a 2.25 ERA, while rookie Roki Sasaki achieves his first MLB win after initial struggles. However, pricey starter Blake Snell remains on the injured list, and outfielder Michael Conforto is in a significant slump, batting just .141 with a streak of 0-for-29 at-bats. Despite Conforto's poor performance, manager Dave Roberts opts to maintain his position in the lineup, believing in the player's potential and attributing struggles to mental pressure and pitch selection issues. Roberts expresses confidence that Conforto will rebound, emphasizing the importance of aggressive play and trusting the veteran's skills and work ethic.
Dive Deeper:
The Dodgers invested heavily in their roster, including signing All-Star closer Tanner Scott to a $72 million deal, yielding positive results with a solid ERA and saves record.
Rookie pitcher Roki Sasaki recently secured his first Major League win, overcoming early adjustment challenges in the big leagues.
Starter Blake Snell, who signed a substantial $182 million contract, has been limited to two starts due to injury, impacting the Dodgers' pitching strength.
Outfielder Michael Conforto, on a one-year $17 million contract, is experiencing a severe slump, with a batting average of .141 and a concerning 0-for-29 streak.
Manager Dave Roberts chooses to continue playing Conforto despite his struggles, focusing on his potential to recover through improved pitch selection and mental approach.
Roberts attributes Conforto's issues to the mental pressure of high expectations, leading to poor pitch selection and mechanical flaws in his batting.
The Dodgers, despite these challenges, remain committed to their strategy and player development, with Roberts expressing trust in Conforto's eventual performance improvement.
The Los Angeles Dodgers paid top dollar to reinforce their World Series roster with even more star additions this past winter, but the results have been mixed.
All-Star closer Tanner Scott has eight saves and a 2.25 ERA so far after signing a $72 million deal. Rookie starter Roki Sasaki recently earned his first Major League Baseball win after struggling to adjust to the big leagues. And $182 million starter Bake Snell has been on the injured list after making just two starts.
Since joining the Dodgers on a one-year, $17 million deal, outfielder Michael Conforto has struggled as well. In his first 99 at-bats for the Dodgers heading into Monday, he has slashed just .141/.286/.242. He’s in the midst of an 0-for-29 streak with 15 strikeouts.
That streak would seem to call for a benching, but manager Dave Roberts has decided to stick with the veteran.
“I just think if we can get him to the middle of the field, and still be aggressive in his hitting zone, hits are going to start to come,” Roberts said after Conforto’s struggles became a “deep slump,” as the Orange County Register’s Bill Plunkett put. “But right now, I want to keep running him out there.”
After joining a Dodgers team that is the overwhelming favorite to win another World Series, Conforto might be pressing too much at the plate.
“I think, like a lot of times, it’s the mental trying too hard,” Roberts added. “Then it’s the pitch selection because of the anxiousness, and that causes some mechanical flaws… The work is good. I trust him as a player. I do.”
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