FILE PHOTO: May 9, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig (66) is congratulated by left fielder Matt Kemp (27) after scoring in the sixth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
December 22, 2018
The Los Angeles Dodgers have traded outfielders Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig to the Cincinnati Reds in a multi-player deal, the teams announced Friday.
Left-hander Alex Wood and backup catcher Kyle Farmer also were sent to Cincinnati, which dealt right-hander Homer Bailey to the Dodgers.
The Reds also sent two prospects to the Dodgers in shortstop Jeter Downs and right-hander Josiah Gray.
Downs was a first-round pick in 2017, while Gray was a second-round choice this summer.
The Dodgers also sent $7 million to the Reds.
Dealing two outfielders increases the speculation that free agent Bryce Harper could end up choosing Los Angeles. The former Washington Nationals star is looking for upwards of $300 million, and the Dodgers are among the teams pursuing him.
Kemp, 34, batted .290 with 21 homers and 85 RBIs last season while making the National League All-Star team for the third time. He is a career .286 hitter with 280 homers and 1,005 RBIs over 13 seasons with the Dodgers (2006-14, 2018), San Diego Padres (2015-16) and Atlanta Braves (2016-17).
Puig, 28, batted .267 with 23 homers and 63 RBIs last season. He has a .279 career average with 108 homers and 331 RBIs in 712 games in six seasons with Los Angeles.
Wood, who turns 28 next month, went 9-7 with a 3.68 ERA in 33 appearances (27 starts) last season after winning a career-high 16 games in 2017. Wood is 52-40 with a 3.29 ERA in 172 career appearances (129 starts) in six seasons with the Braves (2013-15) and Dodgers (2015-18).
Farmer, 28, batted .235 with no homers and nine RBIs in 68 at-bats for the Dodgers last season.
The 32-year-old Bailey was a horrific 1-14 with a 6.09 ERA in 20 starts last season. He is 67-77 with a 4.65 ERA in 212 starts in 12 seasons with the Reds.
Downs, 20, batted .257 with 13 homers and 47 RBIs for Class-A Dayton. Gray, who turned 21 on Friday, went 2-2 with a 2.58 ERA in 12 starts of rookie ball.
–Field Level Media
