Matt Kemp trade rumors: Dodgers will not trade Kemp before deadline

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Los Angeles Dodgers would love to trade one of their overpaid outfielders. They would love to clear the way for young outfielder Joc Pederson and free up some payroll for future efforts to buy championship teams.

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They have an especially angry and well-paid outfielder in Matt Kemp. If ever they could find the right package for Kemp, it’s hard to imagine that the Dodgers wouldn’t jump at the chance to move on. Then again, he has made that hypothetical decision more difficult with his hot bat lately.

Nevertheless, that trade offer has not emerged. Ned Colletti and the Los Angeles front office certainly have no reason to be trading Kemp away for nothing or as a salary dump at this point. Because a deal for Kemp will be more complicated, it is unsurprising to learn that the Dodgers do not plan to trade him between now and Thursday’s trade deadline.

Kemp is batting a solid .282/.347/.453 this season with 10 home runs and 44 RBI. The biggest change in the dynamics of these trade talks is the fact that the Dodgers might having growing motivation to choose to keep Kemp, rather than just keeping him because they’re stuck with him and his anchor of a contract.

If you hit, they’ll find a place for you.

Be sure to stay tuned to FanSided’s MLB Rumors page to stay up to date with the latest action and rumblings from the baseball hot stove this trade season as Thursday’s deadline approaches.