San Diego Padres complete deal to acquire Matt Kemp
By Aaron Somers
Trading an outfielder was a certainty for the Los Angeles Dodgers this offseason and it appears as though Matt Kemp is the man on the move. The Dodgers, highly active over the last 24 hours, reached an agreement early Thursday morning to send Kemp, Tim Federowicz, and cash to the San Diego Padres in return for Yasmani Grandal, Joe Wieland, and Zach Eflin.
Dennis Lin and Kirk Kenney of the San Diego Union-Tribune first reported that a deal had been agreed upon between the two sides. Multiple outlets have been reporting details surrounding the team’s discussions for the better part of the past two weeks.
In Kemp, the Padres land the big bat that they’ve been seeking since the offseason began. The team made efforts to sign both Pablo Sandoval and Yasmany Tomas, falling short in both pursuits. Dealing with MLB’s worst offense in 2014, the addition will mark a significant upgrade for the Padres lineup.
Kemp batted .287/.346/.506 in 599 plate appearances this past season, adding 38 doubles and 25 home runs. He’s 30 years old and has five years and $107 million remaining on his contract, but the Padres will not be responsible for that full amount. Multiple reports have suggested that the Dodgers will pay between $30-32 million of Kemp’s remaining salary.
Federowicz may appear to be a minor piece of the equation for San Diego, but with the team dealing Grandal he will likely step in and help fill the team’s need behind the plate alongside Rene Rivera. Federowicz, 27, appeared in just 23 games for the Dodgers this past season and hit a mere .113/.158/.197. He’s hardly an offensive threat, but his experience will allow the Padres to wait for Austin Hedges to prove he’s ready before promoting to the major leagues for good.
Grandal will likely be the most immediate piece to affect the Dodgers’ lineup, though it’s unclear exactly what role he will fill. Grandal and incumbent catcher A.J. Ellis could split duties behind the plate. The 26 year old Grandal has dealt with some injury concerns in his brief career, but hit .225/.327/.401 with 15 home runs in 443 plate appearances.
Wieland and Eflin will provide some added depth for a Dodgers organization that has seemingly been stockpiling prospects in recent days. Wieland has very limited experience in the major leagues and missed the entire 2013 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. The injury has caused his prospect stock to fall, but he’s generally posted strong numbers throughout his minor league career with a 3.27 ERA, 1.154 WHIP, and 8.4 K/9. Eflin, San Diego’s 1st Round pick in 2012, made 24 starts this past season at High-A while posting a 3.80 ERA and 1.320 WHIP.