In one of the more bizarre deals before Monday's non-waiver trade deadline, the Atlanta Braves have acquired outfielder Matt Kemp from the San Diego Padres through a deal that includes high-priced Cuban import Hector Olivera in a swap of bad contracts, the teams announced on Saturday.
Braves acquire Matt Kemp from Padres in bad contract swap
Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
The deal was first reported as completed by David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The trade was first reported as close by Keith Law of ESPN.
The Padres are sending cash to Atlanta in the deal, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports and Joel Sherman of the New York Post, with Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reporting San Diego is sending $10.5 million to Atlanta.
Kemp, 31, is hitting .262/.285/.489 with 23 home runs and 69 RBI in 100 games this season, including .296/.333/.513 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI in 48 games since June 1.
He is making $21.5 million this season, with roughly $7.5 million remaining in 2016, plus $21.5 million in each season from 2017-2019. The Los Angeles Dodgers are paying San Diego $3.5 million per season as part of a December 2014 trade between the two teams.
What makes this deal bizarre is that the Dodgers, who signed Kemp to an eight-year, $160 million contract after the 2011 season, also signed Olivera to a large free agent deal, inking the Cuban defector to a six-year, $62.5 million deal before the 2015 season.
The Dodgers dealt Olivera to the Braves in a three-team trade on July 30, 2015. Olivera is due $4 million in 2016, with roughly $1.4 million remaining, plus $28.5 million total from 2017-2020.
San Diego designated Olivera for assignment simultaneously with the announcement of the trade.
Olivera, 31, was 4-for-35 (.114) with a double in nine games for Triple-A Gwinnett this season, and was 4-for-19 (.211) with a double in six games with the Braves in 2016. He has mixed time between third base and left field during his time with the Braves, including exclusively in the outfield so far in 2016.
Olivera in April was suspended for 82 games by MLB for violating the league’s domestic violence policy. He is eligible for a major league return as early as Tuesday.
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