Did the Dodgers’ $17 million star give a hint of what Teoscar Hernandez did in 2024? After what felt like an outfielder, Michael Conforto is going to create magic in 2025, and that’s very similar to Hernandez’s trajectory, as considered by manager Dave Roberts. He may be a good player, but isn’t it too early to judge whether Conforto can do something similar? 

Well, Hernandez signed with the Dodgers in 2024 for a one-year contract, and soon he was named an All-Star and was even the first player in the Dodgers to win the Home Run Derby. He even hit his career-high 33 home runs while winning the World Series Ring. And now signing the 32-year-old Michael Conforto for a one-year, $17 million deal was somewhat of a surprise for many. Think that will work for the Dodgers?

The defending champion signed the outfielder primarily in the hopes that Conforto would return to his peak in Los Angeles. And now, after a few days of his participation in the spring training sessions, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is optimistic about his performance and considers him to play a major role with them. When asked about how Conforto is doing, Roberts said, “Where he’s at in his maturation as a ballplayer, I just think things are really lining up.” Although Roberts didn’t say that he would perform massively just like Teoscar Hernandez did in 2024, he can see that kind of energy and light in him that resembles a lot of Hernandez. But that’s not all!

Michael Conforto had a moderate 2024 regular season, as he had an average of .237 with .309 OBP and .759 OPS, along with 20 home runs and 66 RBIs in his name. Now in the 2025 spring training, he has already made a home run, 3 RBIs at an average of .304, an OBP of .407, and a 1.016 OPS, which are already good signs in his early days with the Dodgers. However, he hasn’t been too good with his swings, and that’s the reason Conforto has been working constantly with the coaching staff to make some adjustments, get his swing back, and become more productive.

Although his comparison with Hernandez might sound silly, Conforto’s addition could put the Dodgers in a winning position in the upcoming games. Amid the comparison and all, the Los Angeles Dodgers are on the verge of a historic contract extension for their skipper. Sounds alluring, isn’t it?

Dave Roberts and the Dodgers look to extend their partnership for a long

Yes, it’s true! The Dodgers and manager Dave Roberts seem to be on the same page, as they are in the final stages of discussions about the contract extension as a manager. While this may perhaps be one of the biggest contract extensions, Roberts may also position himself as the highest-paid manager of all time in Major League Baseball. It doesn’t seem at all surprising, given that Roberts led the Dodgers to win the World Series Championship two times in his career—one in 2020 and another in 2024. But it’s not the end yet!

Dave Roberts has been a revolutionary figure who led the Dodgers to the playoffs every single season, helping the team to win eight division titles and four National League pennants too. So, there’s no denying the contribution he has made to the team and the respect he possesses at present. Now, the extension discussions are mainly centered around the winter strategy, where the Dodgers need to focus on getting the best free agents. With around a half billion spent already during the winter, the Dodgers look to be serious contenders, and with Roberts’ impact, they will likely be eyeing another World Series title.

Do you think Conforto can recreate similar magic as Teoscar Hernandez and extend Roberts’ contract to be a right call by the Dodgers? Let us know in the comment section below.