Immediate reaction to the Los Angeles Dodgers completing a trade this winter to acquire Matt Kemp could be summed up as a surprise. But it then became evident that the deal with the Atlanta Braves was financially-driven.
Although the Dodgers took on the $43.5 million owed to Kemp over the next two seasons, they got out from under the contracts of Adrian Gonzalez, Scott Kazmir and Brandon McCarthy. It put the team below the $197 million luxury tax threshold, thus resetting their penalty.
Nonetheless, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman informed Kemp it was unlikely he would remain with the organization. Unable to orchestrate a trade for the 33-year-old, the Dodgers began Spring Training on Tuesday with Kemp still on the roster.
Should that hold true over the ensuing weeks, he’s expected to compete for a starting job in left field. It’s a position Kemp has grown accustomed to but once declined to play on a regular basis when he was last with the club.
According to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, Kemp said that stance is a regret of his:
“If I have one regret from my first time here, it’s that I resisted moving to left field. You live and learn. It’s good to be back here. I got a whole new outlook on life. I’m having fun. I’m going to ride this thing until the wheels fall off.”
Once a star center fielder, injuries robbed Kemp of his ability to patrol the position effectively. He was moved to right field and proved serviceable, but then was squeezed out by the emergence of Yasiel Puig.
Since being traded to the Braves in the 2016 season, Kemp has only played left field. He doesn’t grade as a strong defender, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is confident Kemp will see improvement this year.
Kemp thus far has drawn plenty of praise for his focus and attitude, which included walking back previous remarks that suggested he did not enjoy playing in Los Angeles.
