PITTSBURGH, PA – MAY 25: Michael Conforto #20 of the Chicago Cubs looks on during batting practice prior to the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Monday, May 25, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Chicago Cubs have been searching for offensive contributors this season after parting ways with Kyle Tucker and with new addition Alex Bregman struggling.
And few players have delivered a bigger surprise at the plate than veteran outfielder Michael Conforto.
Conforto has been a big-league contributor in the past, but after a harsh season with the Los Angeles Dodgers last year, it seemed that his offensive production might never return. But the veteran slugger has seen a surge with the Cubs this season.
“Conforto already earned cult hero status among Cubs fans with his pinch-hit, walk-off homer against the Reds on May 4 at Wrigley Field,” Jordan Bastian wrote for MLB.com. “The veteran outfielder has since become a semi-regular part of the lineup, given the steady production that began in a part-time role has continued into his starts.”
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Dave Roberts Offers Response On Cutting Chicago Cubs’ Michael Conforto
That surge has called for a renewed look at Conforto’s stint with the Dodgers, where his poor season at the plate eventually devolved into a cut from the roster once the team entered the postseason.
As Conforto enjoys a revitalization with a new National League contender, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently acknowledged that the organization believed it was seeing signs of a turnaround just before the decision to remove him from the playoff roster was made.
“That really bummed me out,” Roberts said of cutting Conforto last year, per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. “I couldn’t be happier for his success.”
Roberts also specified the flaw in Conforto’s approach last year, which has evidently been corrected with the Cubs.
“I could see that once he was with us, from spring training all throughout the beginning part of the season, he was pressing,” Roberts added, according to Rosenthal. “I could tell by nature he’s a pleaser. He wanted to please his teammates, his coaches, the fans. I tried to give him as much runway as possible. I wanted him to be the guy.”
Chicago Cubs Veteran Michael Conforto Sends Contract Message Amid Surge
The comments suggest that the Dodgers believed Conforto’s struggles were rooted more in pressure and timing than in a decline in ability. Roberts said he began to see the hitter he expected during live batting-practice sessions in October, but by then the roster decision had already been made.
For the Cubs, the turnaround has been a significant bonus. A veteran who looked finished with the Dodgers has suddenly become a productive lineup piece for a team trying to stay in the playoff race.
And now his one-year contract with the Cubs suddenly seems like a steal.
“(Conforto) described the free-agent contract he signed with the Cubs — one year, $2 million — as a ‘prove it’ deal,” Rosenthal added. “So far, Conforto is doing just that. He’s currently batting .266 with four homers and a .904 OPS. The latter figure would be his highest in a full season since 2017.”