Michael Conforto, Ross Stripling Decline Opt Outs, Remain with Giants; Alex Cobb's Option Exercised by Team

Conforto and Stripling remain with Giants for $18 million and $12.5 million respectively, while Cobb’s $10 million option is exercised by team, raising club payroll commitments over $40 million.

• Outfielder Michael Conforto and right-hander Ross Stripling have declined to exercise their opt outs and will remain with the San Francisco Giants. Conforto, 30, will retain an $18 million salary for next season, while Stripling, 33, will keep a $12.5 million salary.
• The Giants have exercised their $10 million option on right-hander Alex Cobb, raising the club payroll commitment to over $40 million. Cobb, 36, had a 7-7 record with a 3.87 ERA in his second year with the Giants.
• Conforto hit .239 with 15 homers and 58 RBIs in 125 games, while Stripling had a 0-5 record with a 5.36 ERA in his first season with the Giants.
• The Giants' total estimated commitments including all contracts and benefits stands at roughly $165 million, which leaves them more than $70 million to spend before they hit the first threshold of the luxury tax at $237 million.
• Despite their recent decisions, the Giants seem open to trades and are expected to bid aggressively for top free agents. They have also been connecting with potential trading partners, which could potentially involve Conforto in a trade package.

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