Could Matt Kemp be traded to the San Diego Padres?
By Jake Misener
If one thing has been made abundantly clear this offseason by new San Diego Padres general manager A.J. Preller, it’s that the days of the organization quietly making low-profile moves are probably over.
After being finalists in the Pablo Sandoval sweepstakes last month, Preller and the Padres are reportedly engaged in trade talks with the division rival Los Angeles Dodgers regarding star outfielder Matt Kemp.
Sources: #Dodgers continue to discuss trade of Kemp to #Padres. Grandal likely would be in package going to LAD, and SD would get $ in deal.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 4, 2014
Yasmani Grandal, a former first-round pick of the Cincinnati Reds, could be an option behind the dish for the Dodgers outside of A.J. Ellis and Drew Butera, after showing signs of a potent bat in 2014, batting just . 225/.327/.401 in a career-high 128 games. He also showcased power, clubbing 15 home runs and driving in 49 runs. The 15 long-balls ranked third among National League catchers, trailing the likes of Devin Mesoraco (25) and Buster Posey/Evan Gattis (22).
More from MLB Rumors
- MLB rumors: Which general manager jobs could be in jeopardy in 2023?
- MLB rumors: Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, New York Mets
- MLB rumors: San Diego Padres and New York Mets already thinking 2024 and beyond?
- MLB rumors tracker: The latest rumors on MLB trade deadline day (August 1)
- MLB rumors: Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers
As Rosenthal also notes, cash would undoubtedly be going to San Diego in a deal that features not only a new general manager at the helm of the Padres, but a revamped Dodgers front office headlined by new president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who was previously the GM of the Tampa Bay Rays. As the FOX Sports reporter points out, the Dodgers are still engaged with multiple teams, meaning a deal with the Padres appears no more likely than with other suitors at this point in time.
Last season, Kemp – who finished runner-up in the National League MVP voting in 2011 to the Milwaukee Brewers’ Ryan Braun – showed signs of his former brilliance late in the season. Despite appearing in 22 fewer games in the second half than the first, Kemp hit 17 of his 25 home runs post-All-Star Break, also posting a solid red-hot month of September (with a handful of October contests sprinkled in) – with a 1.074 OPS in that stretch, during which he hit nine long-balls.
The former face of the franchise has five years and $107 million left on his deal, which is what has made trading him so difficult for the Dodgers, but should he return to the form he showcased just a couple years ago, any team picking him up would be landing a potential MVP candidate in a deal. While several other teams, including the Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners, have been tied to the outfielder – the entrance of the Padres further evidences this is the beginning of a new era in San Diego baseball.