Trade Central: Braves Swap Olivera For Kemp

THE DEAL

San Diego’s summer selloff continued Saturday evening, with the Padres trading veteran outfielder Matt Kemp to the Braves along with cash considerations in exchange for former top prospect Hector Olivera.

The deal is largely a salary dump for the Padres. Olivera is owed $28.5 million through the end of his contract in 2020, while Kemp is owed roughly $64.5 million through the end of his deal in 2019. The Padres reportedly sent $10.5 million to the Braves to help cover Kemp’s contract and still are in position to save more than $30 million over the next three seasons.

The trade also opens up a spot for top prospect Hunter Renfroe to take over in right field for the Padres.

PADRES ACQUIRE
Hector Olivera, 3b/lf
Age: 31

Olivera is currently serving an 82-game suspension after he was charged with domestic assault in April and will be immediately designated for assignment by the Padres, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. It’s a long fall from grace for the 6-foot-2, 230 pound infielder, who was ranked Cuba’s No. 6 prospect in Aug. 2014 before leaving the country and signing a six-year, $62.5 million contract with the Dodgers in March 2015. He received the lucrative contract after hitting over .300 in nine of 10 seasons playing in Cuba’s Serie Nacional while consistently reaching double-digit home runs and starring on the international circuit. Once Olivera got to the U.S. however, everything fell apart. It was revealed he had a partially torn UCL in his right elbow shortly after signing and played only 19 games in the Dodgers organization before they traded him to Atlanta, eating his entire $28 million signing bonus in doing so. Olivera proceeded to hit .253 in 24 games during a September callup with the Braves while playing third base exclusively. After opening the 2016 season as the Braves starting left fielder, Olivera was arrested on April 13 in Arlington, Va. and charged with assault and battery of a woman. MLB suspended him under its domestic violence policy effective April 30. Olivera’s suspension officially ends Tuesday, while his case is still pending. He faces a possible prison sentence on his domestic violence charge.

Club (League)	Class	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG
Atlanta (NL)	ML	.211	6	19	2	4	1	0	0	2	1	5	0	.238	.263
Gwinnett (PCL)	AAA	.114	9	35	1	4	1	0	0	1	1	5	0	.135	.143

BRAVES ACQUIRE
Matt Kemp, rf
Age: 31

Kemp was the Padres’ signature acquisition during their wild 2014-15 offseason, but his presence did nothing to help the franchise get out from under its losing ways. He has maintained his power at the plate, hitting 23 homers with 100 RBI last season and becoming the first player in the Padres history to hit for the cycle, and this year he is on pace for 37 home runs and 112 RBI. The problem is his defense, which ranked worst among right fielders in the National League last season and has been among the worst again this season, negating his offensive contributions as measured by various analytics systems. His on-base percentage has also nosedived to a career-worst .285 this season, and he hasn’t attempted a single stolen base this season, five years after he swiped 40 bags. Largely a one-dimensional player now as a power hitter, Kemp still adds thump to a Braves lineup that ranks last in the majors with 64 home runs and has little power in the upper levels of the minors.