Dodgers’ Michael Conforto making best of…
LOS ANGELES — A decade in the past, Michael Conforto performed in his only World Series, as a rookie who helped gas the Mets to the National League pennant.
Now, after the worst season of his major league profession, the 32-year-old outfielder is viewing another potential World Series run by his team from a different perspective: as a spectator.
Excluded from the Dodgers NLCS roster — as he was for the wild-card round and NLDS — Conforto is staying prepared in case he’s wanted as an injury substitute — however acknowledges his disappointment.
“I am just trying to enjoy this experience and soak it all in and trying to stay ready if they need me in this series or the next one,” Conforto told The Post before the Dodgers beat the Brewers 3-1 in Game 3 of the NLCS. “But definitely not being on the roster is motivating, so I have some things I have to work on and go into the offseason and take care of those things and we’ll see what happens.”
Conforto struggled to a .199/.305/.333 slash line with 12 homers and 36 RBIs in 138 games this season for the Dodgers.
Michael Conforto appears to be like on during an at-bat during the Dodgers’ 3-1 residence win over the Rockies on Sept. 8, 2025. Getty Images
Still, it got here as a shock to some in the group that he’s been excluded from the postseason. The Dodgers instead have opted to hold veteran Enrique Hernández because of his in depth postseason observe document. Hernández hasn’t upset — he entered Thursday with a .972 OPS this postseason.
Conforto, who spent the earlier two seasons with the Giants, said it was an adjustment playing for the Dodgers, who signed him to a one-year contract price $17 million.
“Personally, it was trying,” Conforto said of his season. “There have been loads of tough patches in there, however to be on a team of this caliber — I needed to readjust the thought of the position I play on this team, so there’s a little bit of an adjustment interval, and towards the end of the season I began to do more of the issues I wanted to do in the position that I used to be in.
“But to see how this team compares, how they celebrate wins, let alone the star power — it’s just from top to bottom, staff and training staff, analytics, how cohesive it is, it’s really impressive to see how it all works together and the team approach that they take up there. It’s really eye-opening.”
Michael Conforto hits an RBI single during the seventh inning of the Dodgers’ residence win over the Giants. IMAGN IMAGES by way of Reuters Connect
Conforto performed for the Mets for seven seasons before departing as a free agent. His journey included lacking all of 2022 rehabbing an offseason shoulder injury before signing with the Giants.
His former teammates that stay with the Mets embrace Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo. Alonso has indicated he’ll choose out from his contract after the World Series, sending him to free company for a second straight winter.
“It’s hard for me to envision him in any other colors, because that is where he’s been,” Conforto said. “I know he’s poured his heart and soul into that team.”
Conforto’s bond to Nimmo is strong — each debuted for the Mets within a 12 months of each other after rising by the farm system.
Michael Conforto waves to the Mets followers after a video tribute in his return to Citi Field as a member of the Giants on June 30, 2023. Getty Images
“We were very close, we both came up around the same time and I just love seeing him evolve as a player,” Conforto said. “He’s kind of coming into some power and just an all-around great ballplayer, very smart and really prepares great. It’s cool to see some of your best buddies do well.”
Conforto said he was as stunned as anyone by the disappointing Mets season, which ended quick of the playoffs.
“When they came to L.A. [in June] they were a really tough team, and it’s hard to say, the talent was there for sure,” Conforto said. “It’s not a team that we were looking forward to facing and they [won the season series] against us. They were obviously a team that needed to be paid attention to.”
[youtube_videos keyword=”Dodgers’ Michael Conforto making best of”]
Stay up to date with the latest trending subjects! Visit our web site daily for the freshest Sports news and content, rigorously curated to maintain you informed.