Editorials

Dodgers Rumors: Padres Want To ‘Rework’ Matt Kemp Trade?

Matt Kemp

UPDATE (Dec. 18, 9:05 a.m. PST): According to Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY Sports, the delay in the Matt Kemp trade is due to his physical revealing arthritis in his hips:



Today is the final day for the deal to be finalized and it will be up to the Padres and their medical staff to make a decision. While many Dodger fans have clamored for the trade to not be completed, Kemp returning to the Dodgers now would be an uncomfortable situation.

Furthermore, even if they managed to get past the fact that Kemp was nearly traded, the arthritis in his hips provides cause for concern moving forward.

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Since the Los Angeles Dodgers season came to an end, they’ve been intent on moving an outfielder. Andre Ethier was nearly traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks, but Matt Kemp drew the most trade interest.

At the Winter Meetings, the Dodgers and San Diego Padres agreed to a trade that would send Kemp, $32 million in cash, and Tim Federowicz in exchange for Yasmani Grandal and two pitching prospects. However, whereas the Dodgers formally announced their trades with the Miami Marlins and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, they have yet to follow suit in their deal with the Padres.

With each passing day, speculation has grown over Kemp potentially failing his physical, which could put the trade at risk of not being completed. According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, questions still remain, and while the Padres haven’t notified the Dodgers of any issues, they may look to alter the trade:

During a conference call on Tuesday, Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi said the team wasn’t concerned with the physicals of the players involved in the trade being an issue. Kemp does have a long history of injuries, with the most recent being an ankle injury that cut his season short in 2013 and appeared to hamper him in the first half of 2014.

Should the Kemp trade come undone, it may also impact the Dodgers trade for Jimmy Rollins as it was expected one of the prospects received from the Padres was going to be sent to Philadelphia.

Staff Writer

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15 Comments

    1. It really doesn’t matter. I doubt if he can ever play for them again. They just told him what he was worth to them in this trade. Unfortunately judging by the return he was worth absolutely nothing to them. He’ll have to be traded at this point.

      1. I agree..I doubt that he would want to play for a team that holds his value so low..

        1. The show of support he gets from fans and the sure standing ovation he will receive at his first at bat will surely make an impact if he does happen to stay with us by some miracle. I believe you will see an entire stadium erupt in cheers for him and he knows he will be playing for us.

  1. I just know once u get older your odds for injuries get really high,although Matt is young in age,in baseball he is getting there!!My sincere opinion!!

  2. I hope the deal unravels, we keep Kemp, fire Mattimgly, and eventually fire Andrew “De Podesta” Friedmann. I’m sick of the Dodgers getting rid of the wrong guys and watching those guys help other teams get to the WS, I.e. Piazza, Sheffield, Pedro Martinez, Paul Konerko, the late Bob Welch, Dave Stewart, etc
    They should have been patient with Kemp and Deep Gordon….watch the Marlins get to the WS with Gordon…Dodgers? Without Kemp? Last place!

    1. I don’t know about last place, but I generally agree with you. I, too, have watched them trade guys away and then watched those guys kick our asses. Here’s a thought: If you HAVE to trade someone like Kemp or Gordon (unbelievable!), DON’T TRADE THEM TO NL TEAMS, for pete’s sake!!!!!!

  3. Are the Dodgers going to be televised this season??? If not don’t care about any trades. #greed the #rich get richer #37 years as a Dodger fan and I refuse to support them unless I can watch them in #sanrabarbara

  4. Part of the problem according to people I’ve heard from is Kemp is an issue in the clubhouse. If that’s the case, then regardless of his abilities, he should be gone to allow for more positive and consistent energy to be present. We don’t need clubhouse unhappiness impacting the game any more than we need hidden injuries and bad trades impacting our performance on the field. My heart broke with Dee Gordon was traded, that will come back to haunt management for years and years to come – just as so many others have in the past. Regardless though, the key still has to be chemistry and energy. It’s a very long season.

  5. WOW, i’m shocked at all the uneducated posts by fans on this matter. Are only the fantasy baseball people checking in? Apparently, for so many obvious reasons, some of you don’t understand the actual game and how getting rid of Kemp is not only a great thing, but is part of a long term plan by the FO. Let’s point out the glaring obvious. He’s past his prime. He has arthritic hips, which any fan knew something was going on because of how much speed he’s lost. He gives up more runs then almost any OF in baseball(check the stats). He’s a clubhouse cancer. He doens’t hustle. He doesn’t play with passion and cares mostly about himself. Should I go on because I can? Wake up people and think before you post please. Friedman is a very intelligent man and his plan is putting together years of winning not just 1 season.

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