Giants and Orioles Agree on Extension

Prestige Trade Sends Yastrzemski to Baltimore

Extension Agreed Upon for Conforto

The Giants and Orioles made a one-for-one trade this week, involving two outfielders with very different recent production levels. The Giants sent outfielder Mike Yastrzemski to Baltimore in exchange for Michael Conforto, with the Orioles simultaneously signing Conforto to a two-year contract extension worth $36 million. Yastrzemski was a key piece of the Giants' 2021 World Series run, batting .297 and leading the team in hits. However, his production fell precipitously this past season, as he hit just .214 with 17 home runs. Conforto, meanwhile, has been one of the most productive hitters in baseball over the past few years. He has hit at least 27 home runs and driven in at least 84 runs in each of the past four seasons. The Giants are hoping that Conforto can provide a much-needed boost to their offense, which ranked in the bottom 10 in Major League Baseball in runs scored last season. The Orioles, meanwhile, are hoping that Yastrzemski can provide some veteran leadership and stability to their young outfield. The trade is a bit of a surprise, given that Yastrzemski is just 32 years old and is signed to a team-friendly contract through 2025. However, the Giants are clearly in a rebuilding mode, and they are looking to get younger and more athletic. The Orioles, on the other hand, are looking to compete for a playoff spot in 2023, and they believe that Conforto can be a key piece of that puzzle. Only time will tell if this trade will work out for both teams, but it is certainly a bold move by both the Giants and Orioles.