Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp has been the center of trade rumors during this MLB offseason, and the latest word surrounding the slugger is that two American League East teams have inquired about him as the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox have each showed interest. Could the Dodgers outfielder be coming east?
According to Latino Post, sources broke the news over the weekend that the Blue Jays inquired about Kemp by having a talk with the Dodgers' front office regarding a possible trade for the outfielder during the general managers meetings earlier this month. While the talks didn't amount to much, reports indicate that the Blue Jays are likely to continue their pursuit of Kemp, and will possibly try to make a deal for him at the Winter Meetings next month.
After a move for big-money players last offseason--including a blockbuster trade with the Miami Marlins--amounted to a last place finish, Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos is looking to acquire more power bats and power arms this offseason in hopes to find the ingredients to a winning team.
"I won't comment on specific rumors or things like that but I will say that we are definitely exploring offers with teams but also just like a lot of other stuff that's out there that is false, we have not made an offer to anybody with respect to a starter," Anthopoulos told ESPN Radio.
The Blue Jays have been in competition with division rival and the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox on the field, but now they'll turn into rivals off the field as the Latino Post reports that the Red Sox are also in the competition to try and land Kemp.
The Rangers showed interest in Matt Kemp a few weeks ago, but there has been no word of the Rangers still inquiring.
According to the report, the Red Sox have already made an inquiry about Kemp's availability through a trade. Boston unloaded some large contracts two years ago and took a simple approach of signing lower-tier free agents last season and it led them to a championship, but now that they are free of some salaries that had bogged them down, the team is reportedly willing to take on Kemp's six-year $130 million contract by acquiring him through a trade.
Kemp, 29, hit .270 with six homers and 33 RBIs last season with the Dodgers while spending time on the disabled list and has only played in 179 games over the course of the last two seasons, making an acquisition of him a risk.
Still, Kemp's best year was just two years ago as he hit .324 with 39 homers and finished second behind Ryan Braun in the National League Most Valuable Player Award voting in 2011.
Kemp is a risk and the Dodgers may not move him, but for now he has garnered a lot of interest.
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