Marcus Stroman, who pitched very well for the New York Mets in 2021, is going to bat for a former teammate.
Michael Conforto, a top outfielder in 2020 before falling off a cliff last season, didn’t sign before the lockout in December and will be one of the hottest names in the market when things pick up again.
Stroman had nothing but positive things to say about his former teammate, as he ran into him in Arizona.
“Just ran into my guy Conforto out here in AZ. What an unbelievable human being who works/prepares to the highest degree. He automatically upgrades any team in all facets. Will rake all future and play great defense. Worth every penny. Pay that man what he deserves!,” he tweeted about his friend and former teammate in the Mets.
Just ran into my guy Conforto out here in AZ. What an unbelievable human being who works/prepares to the highest degree. He automatically upgrades any team in all facets. Will rake all future and play great defense. Worth every penny. Pay that man what he deserves! 🗣
— Marcus Stroman (@STR0) February 21, 2022
Stroman signed with the Chicago Cubs for three years, a contract worth $71 million.
He is hoping Conforto gets his payday, too.
Will Conforto Get A Huge Payday?
Conforto, however, is not an asset on defense, at least evidenced by his -5.1 Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) and -4 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) in 2021.
He has been better in the past, though.
Generally speaking, 2021 wasn’t the kindest year for Conforto, as he also struggled at the plate.
He slashed .232/.344/.384 with 14 home runs in 479 plate appearances and 125 games.
He could only accumulate 0.8 Wins Above Replacement (WAR).
Of course, he had a .939 OPS in 2017 and a .927 mark in 2020, so he has it in him.
He will be 29 at the time the 2022 season starts.
He is said to be looking for a multi-year deal, and may be able to get it anyway: just maybe not the sum he was probably hoping at one point.
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