Michael Conforto’s two-year, $36 million is now official after a lengthy medical review process. To make room for him, the Giants designated catcher Austin Wynns for assignment.
Conforto agreed to terms with the Giants on Dec. 23, almost two weeks ago. The 29-year-old outfielder missed all of the 2022 season as he rehabbed from shoulder surgery, likely complicating his onboarding process. But the deal is official, signaling the Giants approved of his medicals.
Conforto will make $18 million per year, but can opt out of his contract if he accrues at least 350 plate appearances in 2023. Conforto exceeded that total each season from 2017 to 2019. He was an All-Star in 2017 and hit 33 home runs in 2019.
In seven seasons before Conforto’s shoulder injury, he racked up a career .824 OPS and has been generally competitive against same-side pitching.
The Giants have utilized the short-term contract structure frequently under president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, but mainly with starting pitchers.
Short deals allow players who perform well to jump back into free agency, in essence using the Giants as a platform to a long-term deal. Zaidi said on Dec. 30 that those deals can be mutually beneficial.
“It just so happens that a lot of the players that we’ve talked to feel like they have another level of performance in them,” Zaidi said. “Whether it’s getting healthier, whether it’s something like Ross Stripling, who’s kind of been a swingman…I think that speaks to players believe in our development and our ability to help guys maximize their abilities. They want to come here and get another bite at the apple. A lot of times, that’s in our best interest, too, for players to be motivated along those lines and to be better.”
Notably, the Giants signed outfielder Joc Pederson to a one-year deal last winter, but since he performed so well, the front office retained him for another season under the qualifying offer.
By DFA-ing Wynns, the Giants are left with only Joey Bart as a catcher on the active roster. Blake Sabol, acquired from the Reds after the Rule 5 Draft, converted to catcher in the minors last year but hasn’t made his big-league debut yet.