Matt Kemp's agent said trade talks were heating up around his client and he was certainly correct. Several teams have reportedly reached out to the Los Angeles Dodgers to determine the asking price of the outfielder. Some are serious contenders while others are just trying to drive up the market. The Boston Red Sox appear to no longer be in the mix, but the Detroit Tigers are seriously throwing their hat into the ring.
According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, the Tigers are the latest team to approach the Dodgers during the MLB Winter Meetings about an asking price for the two-time All-Star. They join the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners as the three supposed "serious" targets. The Tigers interest appears odd at first glance. The team just signed Rajai Davis to a two-year, $10 million contract. If they are seriously looking at Kemp, they would have to move an outfielder like Austin Jackson to create space.
The Dodgers appear set to trade Kemp, but are still remaining coy on the entire matter. According to Rosenthal, all discussions are merely preliminary, but if a deal does happen they will seek something big in return.
"We can't sell off to sell off, then go into 2015 saying, 'Let's go get an outfielder on the free agent market.' We've seen the list. It's not overloaded with choices," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said, via FOX Sports. "There is a lack of impact outfielders that are going to become available in the near future. We better be sure that, if we make a move, it would help this club for a while."
Kemp is the biggest contract on a crowded roster making him trade bait immediately. The outfielder is due $128 million over the next six years. That is a lot to pay a player who is coming off a season where he barely played due to hamstring, shoulder and ankle injuries. He also had surgery on both ankles and his shoulder in the offseason, but is expected to be healthy come spring training.
The Dodgers can easily move on Carl Crawford, Andre Eithier and Yasiel Puig who are talented and cheaper options. They were all very active this season while Kemp only managed to play 73 games, hitting .270 and six home runs.
One team taking their name out of the mix is the Red Sox. After losing Jacoby Ellsbury to the Yankees, many believed they would target Kemp immediately. Boston has trade history with the Dodgers so it makes sense. However the team is saying they are prepared to move on with what they have.