Dodgers Predicted To Land Michael Conforto Alternative In Orioles Trade
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Though their roster has more talent than any other roster in Major League Baseball, it appears the Los Angeles Dodgers still have work to do at the trade deadline.
The pitching staff could use reinforcements, but the surprise issue for the Dodgers has been the outfield. Andy Pages and Teoscar Hernández will have starting spots no matter what, but the Michael Conforto contract certainly hasn't worked out the way the Los Angeles Dodgers had hoped.
Conforto, who signed a one-year, $17 million deal to join the defending World Series champions, owns a .654 OPS and -0.3 bWAR thus far in 93 games.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 05: Michael Conforto #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers at bat against the Miami Marlins in the second inning at loanDepot park on May 05, 2025 in Miami, Florida.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 05: Michael Conforto #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers at bat against the Miami Marlins in the second inning at loanDepot park on May 05, 2025 in Miami, Florida.Pages' positional flexibility means the Dodgers could acquire a player at any of the three outfield positions if they're looking for a Conforto upgrade. And it would appear that the team with the most outfield talent to spare is the Baltimore Orioles.
That's why on Thursday, Jesse Yomtov of USA Today predicted that the Dodgers would acquire one of two potential trade chips from the last-place Orioles by the 6 p.m. ET deadline.
"The reigning champions need help in the outfield and they'll swing a deal with Baltimore for Cedric Mullins or Ramon Laureano," wrote Yomtov.
Mullins, a true rental, has a .732 OPS and 15 home runs this season, and has lately made a habit of robbing home runs. Laureano, who has a club option for next year, has a shocking .887 OPS and 2.9 bWAR; you could make the argument he's been the Orioles' best player.
It will be fascinating to see if the Dodgers agree with Yomtov's argument that their outfield is insufficient. They also have the ability to shift six-time Gold Glove right fielder Mookie Betts back to his natural position, as they did last year, if things get desperate.
More MLB: Tigers-Pirates Blockbuster? MLB Writer Mocks Pair of All-Stars to Detroit
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
26 minutes ago
- USA Today
Eric Singleton Jr. and Cam Coleman named to Biletnikoff Award watch list
Auburn is poised for a big year offensively with two receivers on the Biletnikoff Award watch list. It is watch list season and a couple of Auburn wide receivers are catching notice. Both Eric Singleton Jr. and Cam Coleman were named to the 2025 Biletnikoff Award watch list on Wednesday. The award began in 1994, and an Auburn wide receiver has never taken home the honor. Both Singleton and Coleman will look to change that on what should be an improved offense. This season will be the first with the Tigers for Singleton. He played his first two seasons for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets from the ACC. Over those two years, Singleton caught 104 passes for 1,468 yards and nine touchdowns. He entered the transfer portal as the top-rated receiver before heading to Auburn. Pro Football Focus has Singleton ranked as their No. 24 prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft. They see Singleton as a player that can hit a home run at any point due to his track speed. A receiver that can take the top off a defense is exactly what the Tigers offense will need for new quarterback Jackson Arnold. Anyone who follows Auburn football knows that Coleman is capable of. They knew it when he was putting up big numbers not too far away at Central Phenix City playing high school football. His freshman season for Auburn started out slowly, but he was playing at a high level as the 2024 season ended. Last season, Coleman caught 37 passes for 598 yards and eight touchdowns in ten games played. In the final three games of the season, he caught 22 passes for 306 yards and five touchdowns. In his first seven games, Coleman had just 15 receptions for 292 yards and three touchdowns. Auburn fans are hoping he can continue how he finished the 2024 season. It will be interesting and fun to see if both Singleton and Coleman are able to stay on the watchlist throughout the season. However, they are not the only capable receivers on the team. Sophomore Malcolm Simmons is a talented player, and Perry Thompson has the potential to make an impact as well. The passing game should flourish with this group of receivers this season. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Phillip on Twitter @PJordanSEC
USA Today
26 minutes ago
- USA Today
LSU football WR Aaron Anderson named to Biletnikoff Award watchlist
LSU football's Aaron Anderson was named to the Biletnikoff Award watch list, announced Wednesday. The annual award is presented to college football's most outstanding receiver. Ja'Marr Chase won it in 2019 as part of the Tigers' national championship team, and Josh Reed took it home in 2001. Anderson is entering his fourth season of college football and third in Baton Rouge. The New Orleans, LA native returned to his home state after playing for Alabama as a freshman. The redshirt junior faces increased competition this year due to reinforcements from the transfer portal, but he'll likely solidify a starting role in the slot. The five-foot-eight, 188-pounder recorded career bests with 61 catches for 884 yards and five touchdowns last year. He averaged 14.5 yards per catch and hauled in a career-long 76-yard pass, which came against Texas A&M. Anderson was LSU's leading wide receiver in 2025, making his return significant with LSU losing four of its top five receivers. Anderson also contributes as a return specialist on kickoffs. He took one to the house against Oklahoma in the season finale.
New York Times
29 minutes ago
- New York Times
Tigers takeaways: Plate discipline woes and the other issues threatening a strong season
DETROIT — For the Detroit Tigers, a concerning trend has emerged since the All-Star break. It has carried on even after they ended their July losing streak, even as they stacked a few wins and got back to some semblance of normalcy. Since the break, the Tigers lead MLB with a 25.9 percent strikeout rate. Worse, they also have the lowest walk rate of any team at only 4.7 percent. Advertisement Those numbers were entering Wednesday's game against the Twins. Detroit proceeded to strike out seven times and walked only once. In a series where the Tigers dropped two of three to a Twins team that traded 11 players at the deadline, Detroit batters walked only three times. 'We're trying to do too much,' Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. 'We're trying to hit every pitch for damage. We're trying to cover all sorts of shapes. When you try to do too much, it's not a great recipe against any pitching that you face.' 'Dominate the strike zone' was the first mantra of the Scott Harris era. The Tigers have not quite done that to the extent one might expect given their first-place status. For the year, the Tigers have the fourth-highest strikeout rate in the league. They rank 20th with an 8 percent walk rate. Even with a bullpen that struggles to generate strikeouts, Detroit has fared better in the pitching department. Fueled largely by Tarik Skubal, Tigers pitchers rank eighth in K percentage and have the fifth-lowest BB percentage in the league. But at the plate, the swing-and-miss and punchouts are a real concern. Riley Greene is the Tigers' best position player but has also been the face of these issues. After striking out three times on Wednesday, Greene leads MLB with 153 Ks. Mark Reynolds holds the single-season record for most strikeouts at 223. There are 46 games to play, and if Greene continues to strike out at his current clip, he could threaten to break that unfortunate mark. Overall, the Tigers' propensity to whiff and inability to draw walks is the type of issue that could threaten this team's longevity in October. As they fight through a difficult stretch after a sterling first half, that's only one of the issues plaguing this team. The Tigers' AL Central lead is down to six games. They still have a cushion. But things are getting too close for comfort. Advertisement One thing that would help the Tigers immensely? Getting improved production from a key member of last year's playoff team. Matt Vierling, a heartbeat of the Tigers who missed most of the first half because of a shoulder injury, misplayed two balls in center field Tuesday night. He stood at his locker the next morning, explained the plays and owned it, professional as ever. 'I'm not making excuses, but for a center fielder, those low liners can be tough to read,' Vierling said. 'You can't tell how hard they're exactly hit. They just keep going, and I probably cut it off just a little too much.' Vierling responded with a couple of stellar plays in Wednesday's game at Comerica Park, including a fifth-inning diving catch that likely saved a run. With Parker Meadows still on the injured list, the Tigers are trusting Vierling to keep center field on lock. But they are also waiting on his bat to get going. Vierling's two hits Tuesday marked his first two-hit game of the season. Vierling followed that by going 1-for-3 on Wednesday, bumping his average up to .224. It has been a difficult year for Vierling since he hurt his shoulder in spring training. Hinch has cited the difficulties of ramping up in-season. Vierling had a combined 74 plate appearances over two rehab assignments. He now has more than a spring training's worth of MLB plate appearances this season. Vierling, though, has yet to hit a home run and has only two extra-base hits, both doubles. He has yet to tap into the timing and pull-side power that helped him hit 16 home runs and post a 3.0 bWAR season last year. The Tigers have felt a jolt from the return of Kerry Carpenter. Players like Spencer Torkleson and Dillon Dingler continue to hit well. But it's undoubtedly time for Vierling to get going. He could be one of the Tigers' most crucial players from now to the end of the season. Advertisement When the calendar hit July 1, Tommy Kahnle had been a terrific signing for the Tigers. But life in the bullpen is not for the faint of heart. Kahnle has since lost a touch of depth on his changeup. The pitch has been moving less both vertically and horizontally since July 1. His walk rates have jumped. He has allowed hard contact in bunches. An ERA that sat at 1.77 entering July is now 4.87. And with Kahnle currently not pitching like a high-leverage option, it has had a downstream effect on the rest of the Tigers' bullpen. Kahnle could certainly right the ship and reassert himself as a reliable back-end bullpen arm. But as his struggles continue — he walked three batters and surrendered an earned run Wednesday — he is teetering toward going down as a miss in the list of Tigers' offseason signings. While Gleyber Torres has been a clear victory, John Brebbia was designated for assignment on June 19, and Jack Flaherty has a 4.56 ERA after a difficult start on Wednesday. The Tigers entered the season returning every member of their playoff roster. But they needed additions like Kahnle to help take them to a higher level. In the first half, it was working. Now, Kahnle is at the forefront of bullpen issues that don't yet show signs of improving. Deadline acquisition Paul Sewald is in Detroit, continuing his rehab from a shoulder injury in hopes he can help the Tigers in September and October. 'We do things day-by-day in rehab,' Sewald said Tuesday. 'I felt great today after my first day of catch yesterday. I'll let you know tomorrow how it feels after my first day of rehab.' Bad as this stretch has been for the Tigers — they have dropped six of their past seven series — the reality is that the Tigers still are the overwhelming favorites to win the division. They can, at least theoretically, afford more bullpen experimentation in August. And they could welcome a new addition in September. Advertisement Perhaps part of the team's thinking in trading for Sewald was that relievers are volatile commodities. Rather than pay a hefty prospect price to acquire a frontline closer, they were able to send cash or a player to be named later to Cleveland and get a pitcher who could end up being just as good in October, when things really matter. It's hard to say whether the season will actually work out that way. Sewald is on the 60-day injured list and isn't eligible to be activated until Sept. 10 at the earliest. But Sewald has closer experience. He averages 10.8 K/9 for his career. He fits the profile of a pitcher who could help this team. Only two years ago, Sewald was traded from the Mariners to the Diamondbacks. Sewald ended up saving six postseason games as the underdog D-Backs made a run to the World Series. If he gets healthy, could the Sewald trade be more shrewd than it first appeared? For now, it's a thought to chew on. 'I've only been traded once, and we went to the World Series,' Sewald joked. 'That's my standard around here, so no pressure. I'm excited for this team.' Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
