The Los Angeles Dodgers pulled off one of the more surprising trades last offseason when they acquired Matt Kemp from the Atlanta Braves as part of a five-player trade that cleared significant salary from the payroll.
Kemp returned to the organization that had initially traded him to the San Diego Padres only three years prior, in what was Andrew Friedman’s first significant trade as Dodgers president of baseball operations.
But it was widely assumed that the 33-year-old would never suit up for Los Angeles again, given his defensive deficiencies and the club’s logjam in the outfield.
After failing to move his contract, Kemp reported to Camelback Ranch in excellent condition and immediately impressed the Dodgers’ front office and coaching staff with his improved attitude and work ethic.
The two-time Silver Slugger Award winner eventually earned a spot on the Opening Day roster and has since emerged as one of the Dodgers’ most reliable bats this season.
Now in the midst of all his success, Kemp revealed that he tuned out all of his doubters at the beginning of the season, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“I wasn’t listening to it at the beginning,” Kemp claimed. “You hear people say things but you just take it for what it is. Everybody has their opinion. I know what I’m capable of doing and that’s helping this team win.”
Kemp has been a revelation in the middle of the Dodgers lineup this season, as evidenced by his .318/.354/.557 slash line over 285 plate appearances (82 games).
Kemp’s strong start has garnered plenty of support in the 2018 MLB All-Star Game Voting ballot. He currently ranks second among National League outfielders with 2,046,534 votes, trailing only Nick Markakis of the Braves.
Barring any significant changes, Kemp will start in his first Midsummer Classic since the 2012 season.
As part of our efforts to help you understand how we handle the personal information you share with us, and in preparation for the new European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we’ve updated our Privacy & Cookies Policy. The updated Privacy & Cookies Policy will take effect on May 22, 2018. By using our services on or after that date, you’ll be agreeing to our updated Privacy & Cookies Policy. We recommend that you read our updated Privacy & Cookies Policy in full.
