In a pretty surprising five player deal between the Dodgers and Braves Matt Kemp is making his return to Los Angeles.
At least for now.
That is according to Ken Rosenthal who first reported the deal that’ll reunite Kemp with Lipstick City while Adrian Gonzalez, Scott Kazmir, Brandon McCarthy and Charlie Culberson will go the other way to Atlanta.
Just announced: #Dodgers get Matt Kemp from #Braves for Adrian Gonzalez, Scott Kazmir, Brandon McCarthy, Charlie Culberson and cash.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 16, 2017
Now there’ are plenty of caveats to this deal for both teams.
First, the Braves will effectively waive Adrian Gonzalez making him a free agent while the veteran first baseman, Kazmir and McCarthy’s salaries all go off the books for Atlanta after 2018.
Sources: Trade is effectively cash-neutral overall, but will get #Dodgers under $197M luxury-tax threshold for 2018. Kemp’s money spread out over two years. Three players #Braves getting all one-year guys. ATL will designate Gonzalez for assignment, enabling him to be free agent.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 16, 2017
Meanwhile, Kemp – who last played for the Dodgers back in 2014 and is set to be paid by LA for the next two seasons still has $42 million left on his contract through 2019. And despite the apparent reunion, Kemp according to Rosenthal is “unlikely” to play for the Dodgers as Los Angeles will look to trade to veteran outfielder, something the Braves couldn’t do until they were able to find a cash neutral deal with a team who has deep pockets. Likewise Rosenthal states that trading Kemp will once again be no easy task as cash will more than likely need to change hands as well as a significant prospect attached to the deal.
Regarding any #Dodgers effort to trade Kemp: It won’t be easy, unless they attach at least one significant prospect. Kemp owed $43M over next two years. #Braves could not move him except in this type of mammoth, cash-neutral deal
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 16, 2017
