Dodgers 'Can't Wait' on Michael Conforto Rebound to Explore Trade for A's Breakout Star

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The Los Angeles Dodgers ended their World Series rematch against the New York Yankees with a loss and are now preparing for a brutal stretch of the season.
"And now one of baseball's most injury-plagued teams must strap back in for a four-game series against a first-place New York Mets team that has won seven of eight," as Bill Plaschke put it for the Los Angeles Times. "Followed by three games in hot St. Louis. Followed by three games in angry San Diego. Followed by three games against the reborn San Francisco Giants. Followed by four more games against damn San Diego."
As the Dodgers look to overcome a series of persistent injuries, a return to the Fall Classic is far from guaranteed. And there are a few places they might consider upgrading their roster, even after a blockbuster winter of star additions.
One of those offseason additions, Michael Conforto, hasn't panned out as hoped. And he could be reaching the end of his leash with the Dodgers.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 25: Miguel Andujar #22 of the Athletics looks on from the dugout against the Chicago White Sox at Sutter Health Park on April 25, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Lachlan...
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 25: Miguel Andujar #22 of the Athletics looks on from the dugout against the Chicago White Sox at Sutter Health Park on April 25, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by) More
Cunningham/Getty
"The team is giving him a longer runway to find his swing considering the contract and his track record," Jason Fray wrote for Dodgers Nation. "At the same time, what if it never comes? L.A. can't wait on Conforto if his play continues to be this poor."
Assessing the landscape for potential trade upgrades to replace Conforto and perhaps third baseman Max Muncy as well, Fray landed on the Athletics' Miguel Andujar, who is enjoying a breakout season in his final year of arbitration eligibility.
"His play thus far in 2025 has been spectacular to the point that he could be named an AL All-Star," Fray noted. "In other words, he'd be an upgrade over Conforto (and likely Muncy) in virtually all categories. Andujar's ability to put the ball in play is a skill all teams search for come postseason time."
Andujar is slashing .296/.328/.402 with 50 hits and just 23 strikeouts for the A's so far. And, given his contract situation and the team's likely contention window, it seems he could be on the trade block at midseason.
If the Dodgers do want to boost the offense amid an epidemic of injuries on the team, they might look across the state for a trade involving Andujar.
More MLB: Phillies Front Office Trends Suggest Ex-Yankees All-Star Could Be Bullpen Trade Target

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Washington Post

31 minutes ago

• Washington Post

Springs leads Athletics to 5-1 win over Guardians

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jeffrey Springs allowed three hits in a season-high 7 1/3 innings, rookie Nick Kurtz homered for a third straight game and the Athletics beat the Cleveland Guardians 5-1 on Friday night. Springs (6-5) struck out six and walked one, throwing 104 pitches for his first win since May 13. He left with a 4-1 lead after giving up Angel Martínez's homer.

Associated Press

37 minutes ago

• Associated Press

Springs leads Athletics to 5-1 win over Guardians

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Jeffrey Springs allowed three hits in a season-high 7 1/3 innings, rookie Nick Kurtz homered for a third straight game and the Athletics beat the Cleveland Guardians 5-1 on Friday night. Springs (6-5) struck out six and walked one, throwing 104 pitches for his first win since May 13. He left with a 4-1 lead after giving up Angel Martínez's homer. Kurtz followed a two-out single by Brent Rooker with his 10th home run — a 406-foot shot to left-center field — to give the Athletics the lead against Guardians starter Tanner Bibee (4-7). Tyler Soderstrom singled leading off the second and two straight fielding errors by José Ramírez at third loaded the bases. Lawrence Butler singled for a 3-0 lead. Wilson had a two-out RBI single for a 4-0 lead in the seventh. Soderstrom singled with two outs in the eighth, stole his fifth base and scored on Luis Urías' single for the final run. Michael Kelly got the final two outs in the eighth and Mason Miller pitched the ninth, closing out the four-hitter with help from another dazzling catch by Denzel Clarke. Bibee allowed five runs — four earned — on 11 hits with season highs of eight innings and 10 strikeouts. The Athletics have won six of their last eight. Key moment Cleveland never recovered after Kurtz homered for the fifth time in his last six games and the ninth time in his last 15. Key stat Kurtz, who played his first game on April 23, is the only player to hit four home runs in the ninth inning or later in a five-game span of a single season. He is one of five players age 22 or younger to hit two walk-off homers in a calendar month. Up next Guardians RHP L.L. Ortiz (3-8, 4.64 ERA) starts Saturday opposite Athletics RHP Mitch Spence (2-1, 3.50). ___ AP MLB:

New York Post

38 minutes ago

• New York Post

Aaron Judge looks like Superman again as he busts out of his Yankees slump

Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free That was neither a bird nor a plane sailing over the right-field wall Friday night. It was Aaron Judge's first home run in a week, and it came amid a three-hit resurgence — on his Superman bobblehead night — despite the Yankees falling 5-3 to the Orioles at the Stadium. Judge again showed signs of snapping what had been a 3-for-27 skid with three hits and an intentional walk — including his 27th home run of the season — in his first four plate appearances before striking out in the ninth. 'I liked his at-bats tonight,' Aaron Boone said after the game. 'I thought he made a little adjustment with his hands. 'Sometimes you are just a little late, get into a spot and get into that really strong position to where now you're getting your good swing off, where you're through the zone a lot. So it looked to me like a little adjustment with his hands. And I thought he put a lot of good swings tonight.' No. 99 always has served as kryptonite for the Orioles. His 48 homers in 111 career games against Baltimore represent the most by any MLB player against any opponent since Judge's 2016 debut. 'I'm making adjustments every day. There's so many that I can't really narrow one,' said Judge, who claimed he still hadn't seen the Superman bobblehead. 'They have a great pitching staff, so it's about being ready, especially in that at-bat. I took a couple of heaters that I could've done some damage on. … So I was really trying to lock it in and trying to make something happen there.' The pinstriped captain had struck out 20 times in his previous 10 games to sink his batting average from .396 on June 10 to .366 entering this three-game set against the O's. Aaron Judge belts a solo homer in the third inning of the Yankees' 5-3 loss to the Orioles on June 20, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post After contributing a single to center as the Yanks scored twice in the bottom of the first to match Baltimore's two runs in the top half against Max Fried, Judge led off the third with an opposite-field homer to right on a 2-2 fastball from Orioles starter Tomoyuki Sugano. It marked the first time Judge has gone deep since his ninth-inning blast against Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet last Friday at Fenway Park. Orioles manager Tony Mansolino ordered Judge walked intentionally with first base open and two outs in the fourth. Aaron Judge rips a single during the first inning of the Yankees' loss to the Orioles. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Judge also stroked a two-out single to left in the sixth, but the Yankees failed to score in either frame. The two-time MVP struck out against Orioles closer Félix Bautista for the second out of a scoreless ninth, as the Yanks lost for the seventh time in eight games. 'He's a tough at-bat,' Judge said. 'He runs it up to 100 miles an hour with that splitter combo. It's not a fun at-bat, but that's who you want to face when the game's on the line. You want to go up against the best…. He got us tonight, but I think we'll definitely see him again [this weekend].'