The San Diego Padres have reportedly traded outfielder Matt Kemp to the Atlanta Braves, according to David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Left fielder Hector Olivera will be sent to the Padres pending physicals, per O’Brien.
The Braves are Major League Baseball’s worst team this season with a record of 36-67, but after they tore down the bulk of the roster, acquiring Kemp is the first big step toward rebuilding it.
The 31-year-old two-time All-Star is enjoying a solid season with a .262 batting average, 23 home runs and 69 RBI. He has tallied at least 23 homers in seven of the past eight seasons and is five years removed from a runner-up finish in the NL MVP voting during his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Kemp is signed through the 2019 season at a salary of $21.5 million per year, according to Spotrac.
Atlanta is unlikely to develop into a playoff contender for at least a couple of more seasons as its top prospects continue to move up in the system, but acquiring Kemp now could be a proactive move meant to draw the timeline a bit closer.
The Braves have little to speak of offensively aside from cornerstone first baseman Freddie Freeman, so a middle-of-the-order bat like Kemp is much-needed.
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