Michael Brantley, for the past decade or so, has been a positive contributor on the diamond while healthy. Since 2019, he’s been a huge part of three Houston Astros teams that made it into the World Series. Alas, Brantley missed the last five months of the season, including the playoffs, unable to help the Astros (at least on the field) in their run to a Fall Classic triumph over the Philadelphia Phillies.
However, now that he’s a free agent, there’s a legitimate possibility that Brantley may have already taken his final swing as a member of the Astros. (And it may all be thanks to a concept called mimetic desire.)
Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Astros are currently facing stiff competition from the Chicago Cubs and Miami Marlins for the services of another outfielder named Michael in Michael Conforto. Conforto missed the entire 2022 season with a shoulder injury, making him a buy-low option on the market. Given the uncertainties involved, however, the Astros could look to bring back Michael Brantley should they strike out Conforto.
And it stands to reason that the Cubs and Marlins could be involved in those sweepstakes as well, given their teams’ need for a solid-hitting outfield piece.
Michael Conforto and Michael Brantley share a lot of similarities beyond their first name. Conforto and Brantley have had to endure major shoulder injuries requiring surgery over the past year. Signing them comes with considerable risk as a result. Nevertheless, both can reach base at a solid rate, making them solid options for teams looking to upgrade their outfield situation.
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