Matt Kemp’s Days With The Dodgers Appear Numbered
It could be said that Matt Kemp’s final days as a Los Angeles Dodger were the stuff of legends. Undeniably, the moment of the summer may have been when he walked off the Colorado Rockies with a home run. Then, there was the Fenway Park home run in the 2018 World Series. Perhaps these are the lasting images we hold of Kemp in Dodger blue. If it is so, it was an incredible final ride.
Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports that the Dodgers will look to move Kemp – and this is hardly a surprising development. Weeks ago, MLB.com listed Kemp as the Dodgers most likely trade chip.
The semantics are simple: the Dodgers have a surplus of outfielders. Kemp served a great purpose; at times putting the team on his back when the offense sputtered. However now the Dodgers are in a different state.
Max Muncy emerged and David Freese arrived. When Cody Bellinger slid to the outfield, Kemp’s opportunities became more irregular. An All-Star in the season’s first half, he logged just 182 plate appearances in the second half compared to 324 in the first.
In all, Kemp was a .290 hitter with an .818 OPS for the Dodgers. Equally important, he was voted 2018 Comeback Player of the Year in the NL by his fellow players.
Gurnick theorizes that Kemp is likely to go due to the one year remaining on his contract. He also mentions the diminished value of Yasiel Puig with a year left on his deal.
It is unlikely that Kemp is wearing a Dodgers uniform when the 2019 season kicks off. Nevertheless, the same was said before 2018 began. Crazier things have happened in the game of baseball.
Kemp is Dodgers MVP. Without his 1st half, Dodgers do not make post-season, petiod.
Agree. I’ll never forget when he rose from the dead and hit that ball out against the Rockies. Moment of the summer.
if it comes down to one of the two, keep Kemp and trade Puig
ditto..Keep Matt
The guy can hit. I love me some Matt Kemp, but I think he deserves an AL team so his bat can be in play lost of the year.
He’s going to have to keep in excellent shape to extend his career a little longer.
kemp plus money to AL for prospects
Even Matt Kemp can still hit but he better off in the AL
Keep Kemp and trade Puig? Drugs are bad, seriously! I would keep puig over Kemp for defense alone. Just so happensthat Puig is a better hitter also. I also agree that without Kemp this year, we do not make the playoffs but going forward the team will be better with Puig.
Kemp didn’t”t do bad defensively and is still an all star bit the stooges decided to benched him for a Hernandez career 230 hitter .Kemp can still drive in 100 or more Rbis
If I’m being honest – as much as I like Kemp – I don’t think he will ever perform at an All Star level again. I think the wheels are about to come off. I am forever grateful for how he led and played for the 2018 Dodgers. He saved them at points. Showed the mark of a true pro, and champion.
For what it’s worth, Kemp hit .273 with 11 of his 21 HR’s against LHP. keep in mind how Dodgers regressed in 2018 against southpaws.