When the Los Angeles Dodgers reacquired Matt Kemp in a trade with the Atlanta Braves this past winter, it was widely assumed that the reunion would be short-lived and he would be flipped to an American League team, where he would be better suited as a designated hitter.
But that wasn’t the case and Kemp reported to Camelback Ranch in good spirits, appearing to have revitalized his career after losing 40 pounds during the offseason. It was just two seasons ago when Kemp slugged 35 home runs for the Braves, but the club didn’t hesitate to unload his contract in return for long-term salary relief.
Part of the reasoning was Kemp’s reported fallout in Atlanta’s clubhouse. The sentiment was similar to what trickled out about his time with the Dodgers and San Diego Padres.
That perception is something Kemp is frustrated by and believes is not warranted, according to Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times:
“That’s pretty much the only thing that bothers me about the things people say about me,” he said. “I’ve never been a bad teammate. I’ve never done anything to hurt the team. “I’ve probably made a mistake here and there, but I’ve never been a bad teammate. And for those two organizations to say that about me, that sucks because I wasn’t a bad teammate. Maybe I didn’t play the way they wanted me to, but you don’t have to make up things about me to hurt my character.”
In the early going of his second tenure with the Dodgers, Kemp has done his part in reversing that narrative. From humorous social media posts with teammates to his willingness of accepting a reduced role, the 33-year-old is content with being part of a winning culture.
Earlier this spring, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman stated that Kemp is “fitting in well” with the Dodgers, and admitted to an increasing likelihood that he will break camp with the club.
Should Kemp crack the Opening Day roster, he won’t necessarily be part of a platoon, and can see playing time against both left-handed and right-handed pitchers.
