The Dodgers and Padres are in continued discussions on the possibility of a Matt Kemp trade, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). One scenario that has been discussed would have Yasmani Grandal headed to the Dodgers (among other pieces, presumably) with Kemp and some cash headed back to the Friars. However, Rosenthal is also careful to note that the Dodgers are still discussing Kemp with multiple clubs, and a deal with the Padres isn’t necessarily any more likely than it is with a different team yet.
The Padres have made a number of attempts to add an impact bat to their ranks this offseason but have fallen short in pursuits of both Pablo Sandoval and Yasmany Tomas. They were also linked to Adam LaRoche before he signed with the White Sox. Adding impact bats on the open market is difficult for the Padres due to the fact that Petco Park is known to greatly suppress offense and perhaps also due to the team’s poor finishes over the past four seasons (eight or more games under .500 in each).
The remaining five years and $107MM on Kemp’s contract is a likely hurdle the Dodgers will need to overcome in any deal, but it’s in the same ballpark as the Padres’ offer to Sandoval, and as Rosenthal said, the Dodgers can kick in some cash to ease the contractual burden. Kemp has also been recently linked to the Orioles and Mariners, though the most recent indication was that Baltimore had gotten “nowhere” in talks for Kemp.
Grandal, on the other hand, is said to be among the Padres’ top trade chips, and the team is reportedly pushing him more aggressively than fellow backstops Rene Rivera and Austin Hedges. In the event that Grandal is traded, I’d expect the Padres to look at additional catchers (or perhaps take on the contract of A.J. Ellis, should a deal with the Dodgers be struck), as Hedges likely needs further minor league seasoning.
