With the hot stove in full force in Major League Baseball, reports indicate that trade talks for a potential deal that would send Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp to the Tampa Bay Rays for David Price could be heating up.
According to Fox Sports, the Dodgers have been looking to deal an outfielder and while Andre Ethier was rumored to be a possible trade chip for the Dodgers, they are leaning towards trading Kemp in a blockbuster deal. The Dodgers are looking for the best compensation deal possible for Kemp if they decide to part ways with the oft-injured slugger.
The report indicates that the Dodgers believe Kemp has more trade value and will bring in a much better return than Ethier would, and the Dodgers are even willing to eat some of the $128 million that is owed to Kemp over the next six years if they can find a trade partner.
According to CBS Sports, the Rays have kept an open mind on pulling the trigger on a Price deal, and Los Angeles could possibly be a fit for the former Cy Young Award winner. Jon Heyman reported that the Dodgers, the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers remain as the three top potential suitors to land Price in a deal if the Rays decide to trade him.
"Rays ace David Price may be on the move this offseason, as everyone who has been paying attention already knows," CBS Sports Insider Matt Snyder wrote. "Obviously many teams have been mentioned as interested, as we're talking about a Cy Young winner still in his prime with two years left of club control. Three have emerged as the most serious suitors, though, according to CBSSports.com insider Jon Heyman: the Mariners, Dodgers and Rangers."
Price took home Cy Young award honors in 2012 with a 20-5 record while leading the league with a 2.54 ERA, but he regressed in 2013 and finished with a 10-8 record and a 3.33 ERA.
Kemp's biggest year was 2011 when he finished in second place in NL MVP voting by leading the NL with 39 homers and 126 RBIs while also batting .324. Kemp has been hampered by injuries over the last two seasons and only appeared in 73 games in 2013 while posting a .270 average along with six homers and 33 RBIs.
It remains to be seen if a deal will be struck, but both of these teams are willing to part with their bright stars.
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