The Los Angeles Dodgers dealt away first baseman Adrian Gonzalez Saturday and re-acquired one of their past stars — outfielder Matt Kemp — in a five-player trade with the Atlanta Braves.
The Dodgers received the 33-year-old Kemp in exchange for Gonzalez, Scott Kazmir, Brandon McCarthy, Charlie Culberson and cash, the team tweeted.
Gonzalez, a popular veteran who came to the Dodgers from the Boston Red Sox during the 2012 season, was supplanted at first base last season by Cody Bellinger, the National League Rookie of the Year.
Kemp hit .276 with 19 home runs and 64 RBIs last season.
The move was widely seen as a salary-dumping maneuver to put the Dodgers in better position for the next off-season’s free agent market.
Gonzalez was set to make $22.36 million next season, Kazmir $17.66 million and McCarthy $11.5 million, ESPN reported.
Kemp is owed about $43 million over the next two seasons.
—City News Service