Matt Kemp is once again a Los Angeles Dodger.
After spending the first nine years of his career with the Giants’ rival, Kemp is on his way back to Los Angeles in a trade that will reportedly help the Dodgers come under the $197 million luxury tax threshold.
The Los Angeles Dodgers today acquired outfielder Matt Kemp from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Adrián González, Scott Kazmir, Brandon McCarthy, Charlie Culberson and cash considerations.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) December 16, 2017
To complete the trade, the Dodgers sent the Atlanta Braves four players including Adrian Gonzalez, who was supplanted as Los Angeles’ first baseman this season by rookie Cody Bellinger.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that the trade will keep the Dodgers under the luxury tax threshold in 2018, even though the team is now saddled with Kemp’s undesirable contract which calls for him to be paid upward of $42 million combined over the next two seasons.
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
#Braves’ logic, per sources: Clear Kemp’s 2019 salary of $21.5M. Create spot for Acuna at some point, improving LF defense. McCarthy joins rotation, Kazmir lottery ticket, Culberson backup SS. Gonzalez/McCarthy/Kazmir salaries all go off the books after this year.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 16, 2017
Aside from freeing the Dodgers from some of their contractual commitments, Los Angeles now has more room on its 40-man roster as the team shedded Kazmir, McCarthy and Culberson, none of whom made significant impacts for the franchise during the postseason.