Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp made a recent appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” where he discussed a wide range of topics.
Among them was Kemp’s Major League journey as he was drafted by the Dodgers in 2003 and spent his first nine seasons with them before being traded to the San Diego Padres prior to the 2015 season.
That offseason was Andrew Friedman’s first as president of baseball operations with the Dodgers. Kemp recalled having a not-so-pleasant first conversation with Friedman, during which he was informed of the trade.
After spending three seasons with the Padres and Atlanta Braves, Kemp was ironically traded back to the Dodgers this past offseason in what was believed to be a salary-based trade to help Los Angeles get below the luxury tax threshold.
Kemp added that the second conversation he ever had with Friedman was finding out that while he was back with the Dodgers, he could potentially be dealt again before the start of the season, which Kemp did not want.
Luckily, Kemp wound up sticking around and has revived his career with the team that drafted him. He was named a starter in the National League All-Star Game, marking the first time he made the team since 2012.
Kemp also discussed his relationship with fellow outfielder Yasiel Puig, who has become a polarizing figure in Los Angeles and in the baseball world.
Lastly, Kemp and Kimmel talked about how well the Dodgers have been playing as of late and Kemp’s hope to play in the World Series as the team is currently in the midst of a tight National League West race with the Colorado Rockies with just a few regular season games to play.
