The Marlins have struck a minor-league pact with outfielder Matt Kemp, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). The deal includes an invitation to MLB camp.
We’ve heard all winter that the Fish wish to add more pop to their corner outfield mix. Kemp definitely has a history of swinging a big stick. He’ll be looking to make a comeback at 35 years of age on the heels of an injury marred 2019 season.
Kemp has had peaks and valleys at the plate throughout his career, though he was at least an average hitter at his low points. He carries a lifetime .285/.337/.485 batting line with 281 home runs through nearly seven thousand trips to the plate at the game’s highest level.
That career output is good for a 121 wRC+ — just a shade less than the 122 wRC+ he produced through 506 plate appearances in a surprise return to the Dodgers in 2018. Kemp ended up moving to the Reds via trade in the offseason, but never got off the ground in Cincinnati.
Kemp ended up appearing in only twenty MLB contests in 2019, a career-low for a player who debuted in 2006. He produced only a .200/.210/.283 slash in his 62 plate appearances with the Reds, striking out 19 times while drawing just a single walk. Kemp was dumped after he suffered a broken rib, an injury that lingered and cut short a brief attempt at getting things going at Triple-A with the Mets.
Even if Kemp is able to rebound at the plate, he’s not going to offer much in the field. But the Marlins will see how he looks in camp and go from there. Odds are Kemp won’t be tasked with an everyday role even if he’s in good form. The impact on the team’s other reputed offseason pursuits remains to be seen, but it seems fair to presume the signing won’t take the club out of the rest of the corner outfield market entirely.
Lol
ROFLOL!
Must’ve got him for cheap. Everyone knows the team is Jeters retirement money and all Jeter is interested in is the profit sharing MLB does.
Way to publish your own ignorance for everyone else to see.
so far from the truth. Even though money hasn”t been seen on the major league level. the Marlins have revamped their whole organization.
From Minors to international and have made improvements in the stadium and concessions. not to mention eating 20 mil on chen. please educate yourself.
loris is gone.
Aside from Chen’s $22 million, they literally have no one else under a contract. Everyone else is Arb (four players) or pre-Arb (everyone else). They haven’t done anything–at all–to improve the major league club. They’ve got approximately $40 million committed to the ML roster right now and haven’t been in on any free agents. They’re a complete joke that only exists to suck on the revenue sharing teet.
Jeter is by far the minority owner. He’s got like $35MM in it.
Finally, a real replacement for Giancarlo!
I didn’t even know this guy was still in baseball. Good for him keeping the dream alive!
Keep getting dem checks!
If you can’t make the Marlins out of camp, isn’t your career over?
I guess you could still try for Detroit or Baltimore…
Depending on how much money he is seeking
Leave Baltimore out of this
Why? It’s not like it’s the playoffs…
Smile.
Matt Kemp wouldn’t make Baltimore’s corner outfield. The Marlins And Tigers offense were significantly worse last season. The Marlins May be a little better this year w the fence moved. -And w Villar and Aguilar.
Colorado. If a player cant hit with the rockies, then the career is over.
Sleeper move of the year!
Marlins probably looking for the same productivity from the aged veteran OF like they got from Granderson in ‘19.
Good move. Trade him at the deadline
That outfield has got to be one of the hardest to cover definitely. I wonder if he could play 1st.
Lol
Thanks for your contribution.
He can party in Miami with his spare time if he doesn’t make the roster. He just doesn’t do well in boring cities like Cincinnati or Atlanta, for better or worse. Jetez probably signed him for marketing purposes if nothing else — sign some autographs, schmooze at corporate functions, take some selfies, etc.
He did well in Atlanta.
Honestly, he’s a perfect DH. Playing the field very obviously takes his legs out from under him by mid season. I don’t get how no scouts see that- he had like 16 or 17 homers by the all star break in 2017. He was even better in 2018 on a dodgers team that could avoid using him too much.
Perfect?
Perfect besides not being good at baseball. Def!
I’d play him as a regular until the All star break. Then decide if he can help. Regardless of what he does in spring training. If you judge him quickly you can be very wrong.
Kemp is back baby!!!
They replace that hideous ornament of a statue in the OF with this guy? Will be fun watching him patrol LF.
With this signing, the Marlins are now the front runners to win the NL east, good signing Jeter.
*Jester
Kemp always starts the season strong if healthy.
I am surprised he would sign with a team managed by Mattingly though. Donnie kept him on the bench towards the end of his prime years in LA. This makes me think Miami was the only offer he got…
Yeah except for when he starts the season fat.
Don’t be rude
Good for you Marlins …. Good for you.
Not a bad signing maybe he takes in spring training and they can move him to an AL team to DH
No lose no risk signing
Jeter & company really are doing a good job down there
Welp. Angels missing out on another great pitcher. Fire Eppler.
I always found Kemp overrated as a pitcher but supposedly he has been taking knuckleball lessons from Charlie Hough.
It’s a shame how Kemp has been treated towards the end of his career due to that large contract of his. Teams passed him around like he was the black plague. He deserved a lot better. Hopefully he has a bounce back season and is traded to a contender at the deadline.
Agree. A good guy and might still be dangerous with the bat.
Are you kidding? His best shot was playing for his childhood favorite team in ATL – and he still was an albatross. Personally, the guy is hard not to like, but it seems that his conditioning continues to leave a lot to be desired, which wouldn’t be a problem if he excelled in other areas, but continues to be one of the worst defenders, while having below-average contact. There are many others more deserving of your sympathy with a lot less total earnings and more talent.
Great low budget signing for the marlins!!! Lets go fish!!
The guy loves playing the game. He has money, he’s had a great career, but he’s training hard trying to continue doing what he loves.
Loves playing the game, just not running for fly balls in the outfield. Laziest fielder I’ve ever seen.
better than Granderson at this point
Kinda random…. maybe he gives them some value. Wishing more good for him than I am for the marlins here
Man, all these negative comments. Kemp literally was an all star in 18’. He deserves another chance after moving around last year. He’s got maybe 2-3 years of baseball left.
I don’t get it, either. It’s a minors pact, so there is zero risk. They might find something with him. If not, he can be a mentor to some young players in AAA, or they just cut bait and move on.
agreed. people acted like he was one of the worst players in baseball when he was with Atlanta, when in reality he hit pretty well.
1Dre, He was an all star last year playing 20 games?
Smh al dude he was in the all star game.
Ryan Braun did steroids and stole an mvp from him, yet you fanboys are still mocking him. Should he have juiced too?
Don’t forget that Jose Altuve cheated for the 2017 season to win the MVP.
Just looking at the stats comparison from that year told you he got robbed. He was 1 HR shy of a 40/40 season. The only thing Braun had over him was the fielding errors. Everything was not relevant enough due to Kemp playing in 161 games and Braun in 150.
Agree. Always liked Kemp and wish him some further success!
ill hop on the Bruan ridicule train any day.
Marlins be Marlins…
The gift that keeps on … having injury-marred seasons.
On paper this is good for the Marlins and Kemp, if it pans out the both win. If not, no real harm. In MLB money grows on trees anyhow.
Other rumors have the Marlins currently negotiating with Junior Griffey, Bernie Williams and Ken Singleton…
As a Dodger fan I love Kemp, he was one helleva ball player
BREAKING: Matt Kemp announces semi-retirement to South Beach.
If he makes the team, I guess we know who our DH in AL games will be. I’m not sure about this move. We still need another, younger corner OF, unless they are sure that a couple of the prospects will be ready.
It’s a minor league deal. What’s there to not be sure about?
Interesting how people who say they hate Matt Kemp love to talk about him.
This is a good low risk signing.
The offense is not an issue here. The health is the concern or Kemp would have had an MLB contract somewhere. No he is not the Kemp of his dodger prime. But he is a potential power hitting platoon piece who could be a valuable bat off the bench in the late innings. This move has Jeter written all over it.
I really thought the rangers would do this as their Hunter Pence esc Player of 2020. A comback candidate, I like it from the Marlins though.
could this franchise be a bigger joke at this point? New ownership, same exact results. Oddly enough though, the “Marlins Fan Base” will likely just keep commenting about the Phillies and Mets.
This move is almost literally nothing. However, it is still more than the Rockies have done thus far this off season to get fans excited about the 2020 season. At this point, I would happy to read someone like Matt Kemp signing a minor league deal with the Rox.
FWIW he’s been working out as a 1B
they have Cooper and Aguliar
world series bound
He can still hit.
Not only do I believe that, but it would help my credibility on MLBTR.
Weird. There’s not a person in the world who thinks Matt Kemp doesn’t belong in a DH role yet he has only ever played for National League teams.
the NL teams that sign him don’t seem to care.
When in doubt, sign with the least competent manager in baseball simply based on familiarity. Now get that Puig deal done!
I feel like if he signed with an AL team and DH’d he’d be better.
I don’t understand — if Kemp can find an opportunity for an NL club, he surely could’ve latched on with an AL team, no? I’d like the see what the guy could do as a primary DH — it’d keep him “fresh” and healthier throughout the year.
Like Nelson Cruz version 0.8
Good sign! He’s a hitter, I wouldn’t bet against a hitter!
Old Time ball players go to Miami when their career is ending !
I believe Andre Ethier is still available …
For his sake, I hope Rihanna has a house in Miami.
Guess they don’t make em like Rihanna in Cincy
Always nice to have someone at the plate that can slug.
Is it official yet???