Matt Kemp was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the sixth round of the 2003 MLB Draft and spent parts of 10 seasons over two stints with the team.
Kemp last played in an MLB game during the 2020 season and has never formally announced his retirement, but returned to the Dodgers organization in an advisory role.
“Obviously, Matt was a great Dodger,” manager Dave Roberts said of the news. “Coached him, and he has a lot of value. So for him to be back in a Dodgers uniform, that’s a good thing for all of us.”
Kemp reported to Dodgers Spring Training on Sunday to begin providing in-person instruction. He accompanied Clayton Kershaw in the dugout during the Dodgers’ home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Kemp emerged as a National League MVP candidate from 2006-2014 and finished second in voting during the 2011 season, falling one home run shy of a 40-homer, 40 stolen base campaign.
Matt Kemp getting the love at Dodgers Camp. #BeastMode #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/PXvLwdj3oP
— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) March 10, 2024
Kemp’s first run with the Dodgers came to an end after the 2014 season when the team sent him to the San Diego Padres as part of a five-player trade.
The three-time All-Star spent parts of two seasons each with the Padres and Atlanta Braves before returning to the Dodgers in a salary-motivated trade during the 2017 offseason.
Kemp experienced a resurgence upon his return to L.A. and helped lead the organization to their second consecutive World Series in 2018. He went on to play for the Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies after his second stint with the Dodgers.
In his 10 seasons with the Dodgers, Kemp hit .292/.348/.494 with 240 doubles, 203 home runs and 733 RBI, winning two Gold Glove Awards and two Silver Sluggers.
Matt Kemp among former MLB players hired by Dodgers
Kemp joins Nelson Cruz and Chris Archer as former MLB players who were recently hired by the Dodgers. Cruz is primarily focused on providing guidance in Latin America, and Archer took on a flexible role in the Dodgers front office to explore a wide range of interests.
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