Los Angeles Dodgers ‘aggressively’ attempting to move Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford, or Andre Ethier
Only less than a week on the post, new Los Angeles Dodgers’ general manager Farhan Zaidi is looking to make some moves. With the surplus of starting outfielders in Los Angeles, the Dodgers are looking to move either Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford or Andre Ethier this offseason, sources have told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
However, Rosenthal notes that the Dodgers are not looking to move Cuban import Yasiel Puig, as he is “not in play,” regarding trades. With the team looking to shed off some unwanted salary, it is to no surprise that the Dodgers would want to trade away one of their pricy outfielders. Rosenthal also tweets that the team is willing to pay between some to most of the money owed to the players in a trade.
One of the most intriguing trade targets of the three outfielders the Dodgers are attempting to move is Matt Kemp. The 30-year-old outfielder has battled many injuries of the last few seasons since coming in second for the 2011 National League MVP award to Milwaukee Brewers’ outfielder Ryan Braun, yet he is a very effective and exceptional ball player when he is, in fact, healthy. His versatility will be huge to any team he plays for in the 2015 season, as he is more than capable of playing all three outfield positions.
Kemp is coming off of a 2014 campaign in which he slashed .287/.346/.506 with 25 home runs and 89 runs batted in over 150 games, the most he has played since the 2011 season. Also, Kemp put up a .852 OPS, along with a 140 OPS+ and a 1.1 bWAR. He is also due to be paid $21 million for the 2015 season and $21.5 million per season from 2016-2019.
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Andre Ethier, a 32-year-old from Phoenix, Arizona, experienced a disastrous 2014 season, managing only to hit .249/.322/.370 with four home runs and 42 runs batted in, all his worst of his career. Of all of the outfielders Los Angeles is trying to trade away, Ethier will single-handedly be the hardest to move. Over the next four seasons, he is due to be paid $18 million (2015-16), $17.5 million (2017) and a vesting option for 2018 worth $17.5 million.
Carl Crawford, 33, is another talented Dodgers’ outfielder who is hampered by injuries. In 105 games during the 2014 season, Crawford managed to slash .300/.339/.429 with eight home runs and 46 runs batted in, including 23 stolen bases, compared to being only caught six times. Crawford is due to make $20.5 million for the 2015 campaign, $18 million for 2016, $17.5 million for 2017, while having a team option for the 2018 season worth $17.5 million that has a $2.5 million buyout attached to it.