The San Diego Padres were trying to unload Matt Kemp’s lucrative contract and found a taker in the Atlanta Braves.
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The Braves acquired pricey slugger Matt Kemp and $10.5 million from San Diego for troubled outfielder Hector Olivera.
The move will save the Braves money while unloading Olivera, who was arrested in April on misdemeanor assault and battery charges. The Padres are reportedly sending up to million to the Braves to complete the deal.
Kemp has posted a.262/.285/.489 with 23 home runs and 69 RBI in his second season with the Padres, who have worked to trade him for most of the previous year.
Olivera, a 31-year-old Cuban defector, played just six games this season before being hit with an 82-game suspension without pay for violating the league’s domestic-violence policy. “Making this trade now is a big deal for us because it helps us to get better for this year and the next three years after that”. Atlanta has the worst record when you talk about baseball.
Kemp is a defensive liability who is no longer a threat on the base paths, but it’s a good bet that he will, at the very least, be more productive that Olivera moving forward. (Blue Jays) as players the Padres have traded during this season.
From the Padres’ perspective, trading Kemp would open a roster spot for one of their outfield prospects. The Braves thought Olivera was going to be the answer and they paid a hefty price in giving up southpaw starter Alex Wood and second baseman Jose Peraza, who was, at the time, Atlanta’s No. 1 prospect.
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Kemp’s power numbers are impressive this season with 23 home runs and 69 RBIs.
