Michael Conforto DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Entering Sunday's action, only six outfielders with at least 100 plate appearances had produced a lower wRC+ than Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Michael Conforto's mark of 63. In addition, all his batted-ball metrics from a year ago are down. Conforto went 8-for-26 with two home runs and four doubles in his first eight games, but he's hit into as many double plays as he's gotten hits (six) since then. The Dodgers signed Conforto for $17 million in the offseason, so they are incentivized to keep giving him chances. Manager Dave Roberts thinks the 32-year-old has been pressing at the plate. Conforto struck out two more times in Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Braves, and his OPS is down to .528 after going hitless in his last 29 at-bats. The Dodgers have the luxury of being patient with Conforto, but it doesn't mean he won't find himself on the bench soon enough.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Michael Conforto went 2-for-2 with a homer, two walks, an RBI, and three runs scored on Wednesday in a 6-5 win over the Braves. This was his first home run and first multi-hit game of the season, and he is now slashing .368/.500/.737 through 24 plate appearances. He batted in the cleanup spot in this game against a right-handed pitcher, following the great trio of Ohtani, Betts, and Hernandez. He should see plenty of RBI opportunities hitting behind the Dodgers' plethora of elite hitters, even if he takes a spot on the bench some days when a left-handed starter is on the mound. He launched 20 homers with 66 RBI for the Giants last season, two numbers he should be able to improve upon now that he is in a better park and a better lineup.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Michael Conforto is out of the starting lineup on Thursday for the team's home opener at Dodger Stadium against the visiting Detroit Tigers with left-hander Tarik Skubal on the mound. Andy Pages will instead make the start in left field and will bat ninth versus the reigning American League Cy Young winner. Conforto will most likely find himself on the bench against tough southpaws in his first year in LA. In the team's two-game series in Tokyo, Japan, against the Chicago Cubs on March 18 and 19, Conforto went 2-for-7 with a double, a walk and two strikeouts. In his career, the 32-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder has hit .232/.313/.391 with a .705 OPS against lefties, as opposed to a .257/.359/.479 slash line with an .839 OPS against right-handers. With Pages in left field, veteran infielder Miguel Rojas is starting at second and batting eighth for the Blue on Thursday in L.A.