The Padres have traded the two-time All-Star to the Braves for troubled Cuban infielder/outfielder Hector Olivera, the teams announced Saturday evening. Several outlets say Atlanta will be sending back outfielder Hector Olivera, who is now with the Gwinnett Braves. He’s hitting. 262 with 23 home runs – the latter is better than any current Braves player. Olivera’s career has hit the skids following his April arrest for assault and battery.
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The Braves expect to have Kemp in uniform for Tuesday’s series opener against the Pirates at Turner Field, after an off day in the schedule Monday.
Kemp, 31, is owed $21.5MM in each of the next three seasons, and the Padres are on the hook for $18MM of that sum on an annual basis. He could be designated for assignment immediately, making this a straight salary dump for the Padres as well as an opportunity to open up playing time for some up-and-coming outfielders. The Padres are considering DFA’ing Olivera. Olivera originally signed a 6-year, $62.5 million deal with the Dodgers last May, and is already onto his third organization despite appearing in only 30 major-league games. He hits homers, yes, and he drives in runs, but the RBI is seen as a bit of an outdated metric. 264 – 28 points lower than his nine-year batting average with the Dodgers – with 46 homers, 169 RBIs and 247 strikeouts.
With multiple teams paying Kemp and his contract expected to be diminished, the Braves could potentially make a move with him during the waiver-trade period.
He was dealt to the Atlanta Braves, which means in three seasons the former All Star and near-MVP has gone from a team that won 94 games in 2014, to one that won 74 in 2015, to one on pace to lose 105 in 2016.
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The Padres have been busy reworking their payroll during the last few days. The team also sent starting pitcher James Shields to the Chicago White Sox for starter Erik Johnson and minor league shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., and sent closer Fernando Rodney to the Florida Marlins for right-handed prospect Chris Paddack. San Diego agreed to pay the Blue Jays $17,275,410, including $1,825,410 this year and $15.45 million next year – matching his entire 2017 salary.
