Padres trade Matt Kemp to Braves
The San Diego Padres have traded outfielder Matt Kemp and cash considerations to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Hector Olivera, the clubs announced on Saturday.
David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitutionfirst reported the completion of the deal.
Kemp, 31, is hitting .262 with 23 home runs and 69 RBIs this season, and has a career-worst .285 on-base percentage in 431 plate appearances. The former Dodgers outfielder still has three years remaining on the eight-year, $160 million deal he signed back in 2012. Los Angeles is still on the hook for $3.5 million annually through 2019.
San Diego will send $10-12 million to Atlanta according to Dennis Lin of San Diego Union-Tribune.
Olivera, who’s also 31, signed a six-year, $62.5 million deal with the Braves in 2015 after coming over from the Dodgers in a three-team trade. In April, he was arrested following a domestic dispute and suspended 82 games without pay for violating the league’s domestic violence policy. He is eligible to play again on Aug. 1.
The deal will allow San Diego to get a look at its crop of young outfielders, like Alex Dickerson and Hunter Renfroe.
Along with announcing the trade, the Padres said that they’ve designated Olivera for assignment.
