Michael Conforto, Cubs Reportedly Agree to Contract After Dodgers Exit, Updated Roster and Payroll

After spending the 2025 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, veteran outfielder Michael Conforto is on the move once again.

According to the New York Post's Jon Heyman, the Chicago Cubs agreed to a deal with Conforto. He had signed a one-year, $17 million deal with the Dodgers last winter.

FanGraphs projects the Cubs to have a $231 million payroll for the 2026 season, and that number will climb once the full details of Conforto's contract are known. Due largely to the arrival of third baseman Alex Bregman, Chicago is on track to spend around $25 million more than last year.

Here's how Roster Resource forecasts the lineup:

Cubs Opening Day Lineup

1. 1B Michael Busch
2. 3B Alex Bregman
3. LF Ian Happ
4. RF Seiya Suzuki
5. CF Pete Crow-Armstrong
6. 2B Nico Hoerner
7. SS Dansby Swanson
8. DH Moisés Ballesteros
9. C Carson Kelly

Despite joining the 2024 World Series champions, the 2025 season was unkind to Conforto. Across 138 games, the 32-year-old registered a career-worst batting average of .199 while adding 12 home runs and 36 RBI.

The Dodgers still managed to find success despite Conforto's lack of production, finishing with a 93-69 record and winning a second straight World Series title.

A 10-year veteran, Conforto spent the first seven seasons of his career with the New York Mets. He earned his lone All-Star selection in 2017 and had his best year in 2019, producing career highs of 33 homers and 92 RBI.

Conforto hit free agency after the 2021 season, but he didn't sign with a team and sat out the entire 2022 campaign due to offseason shoulder surgery. Following his recovery, he signed a two-year deal with the San Francisco Giants. He hit a combined 35 home runs in his two seasons in the Bay Area.

Conforto is joining a Chicago squad that went 92-70 in 2025 and lost to the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Division Series. The team is certainly hoping he can provide steady production along with his veteran presence as it chases a playoff spot next season.

While clearly not a direct replacement, the Cubs will hope Conforto can make up for some of the production they lost when Kyle Tucker signed with Los Angeles.