SAN DIEGO — Slugger Matt Kemp has joined the Padres after San Diego and the Los Angeles Dodgers finalized a five-player trade Thursday night.
The teams agreed to the trade last week during the winter meetings in San Diego. It was the first of three big deals by new Padres general manager A.J. Preller, who also has added outfielder Wil Myers, the 2013 AL Rookie of the Year, from Tampa Bay and All-Star catcher Derek Norris from Oakland.
The Padres, desperate to pump up the worst offense in the majors, also get $32 million from the Dodgers to help offset the $107 million remaining on Kemp’s contract. The Padres’ obligation of $75 million to Kemp over five years becomes the biggest deal in club history.
Kemp twice made the All-Star team during his time in L.A., as well as winning two Gold Glove and two Silver Slugger awards. His 182 homers rank fourth in Los Angeles Dodgers history.
San Diego also gets catcher Tim Federowicz. The Dodgers receive catcher Yasmani Grandal and right-handers Joe Wieland and Zach Eflin.
Padres President Mike Dee declined to comment on reports that the team was concerned with certain aspects of Kemp’s physical.
“It was a process that played out in a way that was, I think, consistent with what we thought going into it,” Dee told The Associated Press. “We had a player that had some prior injures and we wanted to make sure we did a full exam. A.J. and his team did their due diligence, conferred with our medical team and ultimately were comfortable moving forward.”
Kemp has had shoulder and ankle operations in recent years. Last May, he was groomed to play left field because the Dodgers weren’t confident he could handle the defensive demands of playing center field after undergoing ankle surgery the previous offseason.