Per a team release, the Reds have released outfielder Matt Kemp, who’d been nursing a broken rib on the 10-Day IL.
Kemp, 34, was off to a dreadful .200/.210/.283 start in 62 plate appearances after an offensive rebound in 2018. Acquired in December from Los Angeles with Alex Wood and Yasiel Puig, the three-time all-star figured to be the chief platoon option for either Jesse Winker or Scott Schebler in left field, with occasional spot starts against righties mixed in. The team’s promotion of Nick Senzel, coupled with the slow offensive start across the board, has ostensibly kindled an urgent spark within the win-now organization.
Playing in the last year of an 8-year, $160MM extension signed prior to the 2012 season, a contract that’s seen Kemp shipped across the country, back, and back again, the 2011 NL MVP runner-up has mostly disappointed in his stops after a 2015 trade to San Diego. The move, one of the most lopsided of the decade, sent the then-30-year-old, along with the bulk of his behemoth salary, south to San Diego in exchange for four discounted years of Yasmani Grandal and eventual big-leaguer Zach Eflin. Warning signs were already flashing – Kemp’s defense in the few years prior had been horrific, and the slugger had already been dealing with nagging injuries to his ankle and shoulder.
He predictably cratered in San Diego, who quickly severed ties in a bad-contract swap with Atlanta for the rights to Cuban Hector Olivera, an infielder who’d never suit up for the team. Kemp didn’t fare much better in Georgia – another salary swap after ’17 sent him back to Los Angeles, where he made what may well be his final encore performance, slashing an excellent .290/.338/.481 (122 wRC+) in 506 plate appearances for LA.
The 34-year-old will almost certainly catch on with another club – Cleveland, again, may be among his most impassioned suitors – but a couple more months like this, and the 13-year-vet’s career could be in serious jeopardy.
rodge247
brandons-3
Good take
braveshomer
well said
leefieux
I read ‘mime’ if anybody wants to know what Rodge said.
DockEllisDee
an obscene gesture at that, yikes!
iverbure
Remember when people said the Reds were a playoff contender because they added a bunch of salary. I know you people think spending equals winning and like clinging to this stupid narrative baseball needs a cap dispite both the owners and player having no interest in that, but guess what it’s better to shed salary and let young players play than pay pretty much every free agent, less risk and they’ll probably perform better. But keep up with the collusion conspiracy theory’s, you and the flat earthers should join up lol.
Ketch
No one called them a contender. A lot of pundits wrote they were “going for it.” But “going for it” doesn’t mean it was done right…
DMC511
Wouldn’t really count them out either. It’s one month in
Dennid
You people…….condescending much?
walls17
If anyone brings up “Kemp to the Yankees” you need to stop.
But, man what a great trade for the Reds. Puig, Wood, Kemp, not much production from them thus far. But they got rid of Homer Bailey and gave up good prospects to do so, so that’s a win I guess
kenleyfornia2
Downs and Gray for Farmer is not a win at all. Thats what the trade will be by the time this season ends
walls17
sarcasm. obviously its not a win
ksoze
Puig, Kemp, and Wood were always rentals. Kemp was always a surperfluous piece.
Mike Spriggs
I think you’re forgetting about Wood and Puig and whether they get production or prospects you might want to wait before proclaiming the Dodgers winners. Wood hasn’t thrown pitch one and Puig has started slow like he always seems to. Kemp was just Bailey in disguise. Same money basically.
b-rar
Kemp to the Yankees. Print it
imgman09
Book this,ever have a Broken Rib? He would be sitting next to Ellsbury,Hope they do it ,lol
joparx
Kemp to the Yankees. Book it
pjc1966
Frazier is back Monday and Stanton will be back within a week. Hicks has started rehab games.
LF Frazier/Gardner
CF Hicks
RF Stanton
No need for Kemp
sufferforsnakes
They’ll need someone to put on the IL. Kemp would be perfect!
Steven Chinwood
Just in..Stanton is on the IL with no return time.
Bocephus
So you think Tauchman, Wade, and Maybin are better. LOL
walls17
clint is literally coming back in a couple days. why waste time on kemp? he is not good.
TreyMancini
Kemp to the Yankees.
murphydog
Kemp to some team in New York. Yankees me thinks.
Dogbone
Kemp to the White Sox, he’d fit right in.
Polish Hammer
Some team in NY? Were you thinking Long Island Ducks when you posted that?
DockEllisDee
I heard somewhere he might be headed to the Yankees
skip tracey
Kemp to the bank of his choice.
AZPat
VanMeter, that’s who they need.
ClevelandGuardians2021
Indians?
rice
Makes the most sense, unless a non-contender wants to get him to a cheap 1 year deal and see if they can get something good in the deadline.
realgone2
cheap 1 year deal? It’d be the league minimum.
ClevelandGuardians2021
Hopefully.
spinach
It would be. And they would get nothing.
Dennid
If the Indians add a bat it will be more than Kemp I think.
realgone2
Happy trails to you.
dimitrios in la
He’s a real reminder of just how humbling this game can be. Can make superstars look like has berms in a hurry.
Christian Larsen
I can see the Giants taking a chance
realgone2
Gotta keep that team median age up.
Christian Larsen
Yep good point lol
gmenfan
And .200 average.
22jclark
Giants in a rebuild even if they don’t say so. Bringing Kemp in wouldn’t jibe with what they’re trying to do. Just brought up Gerber and designated Parra. They will give opportunities to younger guys
talking baseball
Giants need to let the young guys play so they have a fair chance to show what they can do.
Please no Kemp or any other retreads !! Go Kids !!
rice
Indians should get him, they desperately need offense. Kemp had an all star year last year and could do well as a DH.
iverbure
Where would they play Hanley, Santana or Gonzalez? Why do people seem to forgot teams only have one DH spot? In give you a insight into how teams value players now. They don’t like guys who can’t play any position. That’s why there’s like 20 guys in March every year that people think are good but in reality can’t play a position anymore.
davidcoonce74
Hanley Ramirez was released last week
jbigz12
Santana is a solid defensive 1B so that’s a real misinformed narrative that he can’t play defense. That’s where he plays. Cargo could find himself released given his own lack of production and their lefty heavy lineup. And well Hanley has been gone for awhile now. Kemp isn’t much but the Indians aren’t getting much from their OF/DH slots. It’s not unreasonable to think a team who just took a flier on Hanley would do the same w kemp
AGAVE
Fill in for Pollock
BlueSkyLA
Uhhhh, no.
dodgerskingsfan
we don’t need him back here….
ib6ub9
Back to California.
bucketbrew35
Indians make too much sense.
Cabrera4l
Kemp to SD
jdgoat
Knew he wasn’t suited for an NL team trying to compete and I got blasted. Oh well
dvogt
here come the dodgers…
Frisco500
Indians had Maybin in AAA, he is patrolling RF with the Yanks today. Just watched him rob a 3 run HR. I see Cleveland landing Kemp.
AGAVE
If/when MattyK agrees to play somewhere, are the Reds responsible for covering any of his contract money difference?
Yankeedynasty
Yes, all of it
BlueSkyLA
Assuming Kemp is signed by another team, the Reds will be paying his entire salary, minus the prorated MLB minimum.
Rumncoke
Got paid for one good year. He was never that good
GareBear
He was mostly a good bat, albeit overpaid. His defense was atrocious which sunk his value. But let’s not forget this is the same guy who was one bomb away from a 40-40 season. Dude had some talent
Frisco500
And do you remember he finished 2nd in MVP voting that year? He said, well I guess I’ll just go 50/50 next year. My thought at the time… how bout you try to reach 40/40 first. Never happened. His play couldn’t keep up with his ego.
BlueSkyLA
He play couldn’t keep up with serious injuries to his shoulder and ankle.
Do try to keep up yourself.
Frisco500
I am well aware of his old man hips and shoulder. He dated rihanna and thought he was something special. Pfff
BlueSkyLA
Wrong again.
kenleyfornia2
In 2012 Kemp was going off before the injury. He very well backed up the talk. Just got hurt
BlueSkyLA
I’m sure you understand we are responding to someone who doesn’t know and doesn’t care that they don’t know. The two game injuries that wasted Kemp’s shoulder and ankle are burned into the memories of every Dodger fan. The first one wrecked his swing for the better part of a year and just as he was recovering from that one the ankle injury took away his speed. Before those huge setbacks he was on his way to an elite career. Fans who are obsessed with who he dated are just… not baseball fans. They should be reading supermarket tabloids instead of this site.
cadagan
40/40, 30/30
Why these are hallmark numbers in baseball history is beyond me, from a logical standpoint.
One is not anywhere close like the other.
And it somehow continues to be a talking point of importance.
Even if super generous and we crazily valued a SB the same as a single. (Discounting a multitude of things, like possible 25-50% caught stealing rate where it devalues a SB immensely, both mathematical and obvious) I digress,
We wouldn’t say 30/30 is special if its 30 HR’s and 30 singles.
Who cares about that?
To carry it further and perhaps more extreme:
Quarterback is 30/30. 30 TD’s thrown, and 30 yards rushing.
So?
It’s such a strange tradition of importance.
higherandtighter
Yep. Guy was never the same after running into that wall in Colorado.
higherandtighter
The threat of speed changes the game. Changes where the defense plays and how they play. Changes the pitcher’s concentration. It exposes weak-armed catchers. None of the things is reflected in Sabermetric stats.
The combination of speed and power in baseball is very rare. The options are usually one or the other. Or neither. Both is unique and elite.
mrpadre19
Really?
It’s because it’s pretty rare to find a player with elite power AND elite speed.
30 singles?
Come on….you’re better than that.
MWeller77
“Why not 30 home runs and 30 years old? Or 30 home runs and being a fan of TV’s 30 Rock? It’s all so arbitrary.”
thecoffinnail
30/30 and 40/40 show an elite player on both ends of the baseball spectrum. All you have to do is look at the players that are consistent 30/30 threats, guys like Trout, Betts, Bellinger and Yelich and you will see that they are always in the discussion as being the best in baseball. Trout has never led the league in HR’s, hits, or AVG for a season. However, he has led the league in stolen bases. He isn’t the best player of this generation because he hits for power or walks a ton. It’s because he has a superior well rounded game.
brewsingblue82
Because power and speed are rare. That’s why it’s made a big thing of. If there were like 30-40 people who did it a year, it wouldn’t be as special. But there’s not that many who do it. Plus, speed is a factor, especially when you put it with a power threat. Because, not only are they a threat to just hit one out, but they can turn a single into a double if they see the right chance, or they can steal second if they’re held to just a single. Especially if they’re playing a team with a weak armed or low accuracy catcher.
seamaholic 2
Kemp was a phenomenal outfielder in his youth. Freak athlete.
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
Idk if he was a phenomenal OF. He was a sure fire freak athlete, but his make up speed covered up for his bad routes and terrible jumps. He was fun to watch though, because of his pure athleticism. He was surely gifted, but offensively he was vastly superior.
OCTraveler
Why pick up Kemp? Isn’t Andre Ethier available?
AGAVE
If a team can get him on the cheap and he stays healthy for the season; why not
kenleyfornia2
Because he has shown 0 motivation when playing for anyone but the Dodgers
Frisco500
Kenley, that’s one of the many reasons Kemp is a chump. Getting paid millions to play in the ML should be motivation enough. That’s why he’ll retire with No Rings. LA’s team didnt motivate him. The bright lights of LA did. Just in case anyone was confused.
TellItGoodbye
And the Giants pick him up in 3-2-1…
realgone2
Why do people keep commenting that the Indians can possibly get him cheaply? Any team that signs him owes him the prorated league minimum only. That’s about as cheap as you can get.
iverbure
Because a lot of people think they know a lot more about baseball than they actually do.
Frisco500
On another note… where in the world is Karmen Sa…. wait! I mean where in the world is Evan Gattis? For real.
Yep it is
He will go the Yankees and all the Yankee fans will say what a “ Genius” Cashman is like they did when he signed Tulogethurtki
MWeller77
Ok, it’s time for a moratorium for all the bad plays on Tulowitzki’s name & proneness to injury
zachgwest
Pollock the new Either / Kemp / Crawford all who can’t stay healthy except when healthy all of them where wayyy better than Pollock.
Brittingham
Kemp only started sucking after he got a contagious disease from Rihanna. The disease damages your shoulder, ankle, back and hip. It’s the same disease David Justice got from Halle Barry. It ended both of their respective careers.
braveshomer
vaginitis….it’ll get you ever time and no one is immune smh. it’s just as undefeated as father time…oh well
DockEllisDee
wait.. so THAT’S why my body is breaking down!
Brittingham
Kemp and Justice were both told repeatedly by coaches, teammates and extended family to “wrap it up.” Kemp adamantly refused every time claiming he liked “skin on skin.” Justice was the same way. There are many a video of Kemp and Justice chanting “” Skin on skin, baby. YEAH!!!”, followed by the two pounding their fists together. Kemp was so enthusiastic about it that he wanted it on the back of his jersey. He attempted to legally change his name to Skin Onskin. David Justice then sued him in court claiming that he was trying to steal the nickname that Justice had rightfully earned himself as a player. He once stated,”Every teammate I have ever had called me by that name. The whole baseball world knows me by that name. I actually earned it. Now he wants to copy me and steal MY name?” Before a mutual court date he was quoted as saying,”I am going to administer Justice!!!” The disagreement shook the baseball world to its core. Every team coach player and fan were divided. Many threats went back and forth between the players. Kemp dropped the plan to change his name after realizing how much they both would have a giant void in their lives if they couldn’t make that chant and pound fists together. It has actually brought their relationship together. Now they both meet up for a poker night on every alternating Wednesday.
GarryHarris
What are you talking about?
Brittingham
Just facts.
Frisco500
“Brittingam”. I will try to remember your name so I never accidentally read another one of your comments. You just gave me a headache.
Brittingham
Come on buddy. Purely satire. I ama HUGE Braves fan. I love what Matt Kemp did with the Braves and what David justice did FOR the Braves even more. It was purely for entertainment. If you didn’t find it funny then it’s not for you. I am serious most of the time on this site but that doesn’t mean tale everything I say to heart. If I’m kidding around I make it obvious from the get go and I was in this post. I hope you still read my posts and take them as they are.
brandons-3
He needs to go to a veteran team. It seems even though he shouldn’t be labeled a “bad” teammate, he’s not one you’d want your talented, young, and impressionable players to take as an example from. Which is completely okay because not every veteran guy should or can be in a leadership/mentorship role.
BlueSkyLA
I wonder how fans think they know the players well enough to make such specific character judgements about them. Locker room politics have to be plenty complicated and no doubt some players handle it better than others, but teams are also very good at controlling the flow of that sort of information to the public. It’s rare that we know anything significant about what goes on between players off the field. Rumors, idle chatter and guessing can’t fill that information gap.
dponkell
Yankees
GarryHarris
The problem with Matt Kemp is that he wouldn’t always be in shape. He had at least three “comeback” type seasons (11, 15, 18) where he decided that he would get into shape during the off-season and stay in shape during the season but, then let himself go back to being overweight and sluggish the seasons following until he decided to get in shape again.
mikeyank55
So Gerry what you are saying is that he would be a perfect Met this year.
Hey Wagon Wheel…can you smell the coffee grinds? A cancer waiting to infect the clubhouse, you can blow it by Senile Fred by telling him how much you are saving.
Get your inexperienced butt in gear and get this deal done now.
SalaryCapMyth
So when I read the headline I thought..”he couldnt be doing THAT bad that he is released before the Reds even played 40 games”. Man oh man, an ops of 493 and he’s even managed a -0.9 war already. Did he get rid of his glove and decide to play the outfield with a 20 ounce coke bottle cap?
cecildawg
Kemp’s outliner year of development was the year before the #2 MVP year. Someone in the Dodger organization helped create an atmosphere for Kemp to not even like baseball. He hit 28 HR’s that year. Batted .248. Horrible. He does hold the distinction of being the only ML player to homer in the last five games of the season. Portending possibly the MVP year that he was cheated un-fairly by the lying, cheating, and throwing people under the bus R. Braun.
Brittingham
I remember the year you speak of vividly. I know because it was literally the same season he was with Rihanna. She is the person that helped create that atmosphere. Just like Halle Barry did with David Justice. It was clearly a contagious disease he contracted from her. They both should have wrapped it up. See my replies to other posts below for more information.
cecildawg
Kemp’s outliner year of his development was 2010. Someone in the Dodger organization just made baseball miserable for him. He batted .249. He was WAR negative. His 28 homeruns that year came with the distinction of being the only ML player to ever homer in the last five games of a season. Perhaps portending his MVP year? Which he was cheated out of the MVP by the lying and throwing people under the bus R. Braun. MVP was close and the wrong decision. Didn’t Kemp ask for the trophy or honor from Braun after the PED thing? Sorry! Just wrong. For three years or so he was ‘The Beast’!
Bill
So are the Reds paying his contract this year or did someone else agree to pay it during one of the trades?
holecamels35
He has to be closing in on a record for most teams played for while under a single contract.
Dodgers, Padres, Braves, Reds, and maybe another team all while under the same deal. Would love to see how the salary is distributed.
toastyroasty
Last time I looked, he was an All-Star last season.
Brittingham
Come on buddy. Purely satire. I ama HUGE Braves fan. I love what Matt Kemp did with the Braves and what David justice did FOR the Braves even more. It was purely for entertainment. If you didn’t find it funny then it’s not for you. I am serious most of the time on this site but that doesn’t mean tale everything I say to heart. If I’m kidding around I make it obvious from the get go and I was in this post. I hope you still read my posts and take them as they are.
tbone0816
Would love to have him on the Cardinals instead of Dexter Fowler.
brewsingblue82
So let me get this correct…you’d rather have someone hitting .200, declining fielding ability to the point of best being a fit for a team with a DH opening, and that is currently injured over someone who is currently hitting .310, still holds defensive value and is the healthier of the two at the moment. So, is what you’re saying, that you miss Last Year Dexter Fowler?
Baytown
Hey Farhan, forget it.
SDHotDawg
Kemp “cratered in San Diego?” Jeez, dude. Look at his numbers. He was actually very productive.
IjustloveBaseball
Time for Kemp to finally go to the AL where he can DH. I think he’s a guy whose bat would benefit by not having to worry about playing the field everyday.
Ahnpaul1984
As a casual Dodgers fan 2018 Matt Kemp was interesting and fun. Sucks he couldn’t build off of it. Dude was a stud in his prime. Hope he becomes productive somewhere else. That would bring a smile to my face. If not, I tip my cap to him for leaving an impact. He dated Rihanna? Watta lucky guy
tealmarlin
Marlins fan would love to take him but Miami is going young, and they already got the veteran presence in Granderson in the OF. His best fit I think is in LAD again, he did good for them last year, he feels comfortable there, fans know him and like him, with Pollock’s injury he comes handily now.
Gwynning's Anal Lover
The Yankees should grab him. They like peeps on the IL.
Brittingham
I remember the year you speak of vividly. I know because it was literally the same season he was with Rihanna. She is the person that helped create that atmosphere. Just like Halle Barry did with David Justice. It was clearly a contagious disease he contracted from her. They both should have wrapped it up. See my replies to other posts below for more information.
skip tracey
He’s smirking himself all the way to the bank with that contract money. Pockets filled up with dough. Is this the reason for the weight gain? …Could be!
mdogger12
2nd half player, might help a team down the stretch
Breetom
Can’t win with a bunch of used cars