Friday, May 24, 2019

Mets Sign Veteran Outfielder Matt Kemp

Matt Kemp.


The Mets have signed three-time All-Star outfielder Matt Kemp to a minor league contract pending a physical, adding depth to their roster. He will report to Port St. Lucie, FL.


Kemp, 34, was named to the NL All-Star team in 2011, 2012 and 2018. He has won two Rawlings Gold Glove Awards (2009, 2011) and two Louisville Silver Slugger Awards (2009, 2011). He is a career .285 hitter with 335 doubles, 281 homers and 1,010 RBI in 1,707 major league games with the Dodgers, Padres, Braves and Reds.

Kemp batted .290 with 21 homers and 85 RBI in 146 games for the Dodgers last year, returning to the team he came up with and leading them to the World Series.

The Dodgers traded Kemp, along with Yasiel Puig, to Cincinnati in the offseason, and he was hitting .200 with one home run and five RBI in 20 games with the Reds before he was released on May 4.

Kemp's last game with Cincinnati was on April 21 against San Diego, when he went 1-for-2. He crashed into an outfield wall in that game and was placed on the 10-day injured list with a broken left rib.

Mets Manager Mickey Callaway said of Kemp, "Obviously, still a pretty high ceiling, he's been playing well the past couple of years. He had a good year very recently, so we're going to send down to Florida, very similar to (Ervin) Santana (the pitcher they signed earlier Friday), and get him in playing shape, and then see what we've got. Just another piece that, at some point, may be able to help us."

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