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- Doctors discovered Matt Kemp has arthritis in both hips.
- This initially jeopardized the trade with the San Diego Padres.
- However, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reports the Dodgers-Padres deal is a go.
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp was diagnosed with arthritis in both of his hips on Dec. 18. The finding jeopardizes his trade to the San Diego Padres.
Matt Kemp‘s trade to the San Diego Padres could possibly not become a reality.
Doctors discovered Kemp has severe arthritis in both of his hips during his physical as part of a trade to the San Diego Padres. With the finding, the Padres are now trying to decide whether to acquire Kemp or nullify the deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, per a league source who told USA TODAY Sports‘ Bob Nightengale.
Nightengale says the source requested to remain anonymous since he was not authorized to discuss Kemp’s diagnosis.
According to USA TODAY Sports, the arthritis finding surprised Kemp. San Diego’s team physicians are now figuring out if this would have a long-term effect on Kemp’s career moving forward.
On the other hand, ESPN.com’s Ramona Shelburne (via ESPN Los Angeles’ Mark Saxon) reports the Dodgers are upset because “Kemp’s medical information leaked publicly.”
In the proposed trade, the Padres would receive Kemp and catcher Tim Federowicz plus $32 million in cash. In exchange, the Dodgers get catcher Yasmani Grandal and pitchers Joe Wieland and Zach Eflin. Nightengale stresses the Padres and Dodgers have until Dec. 18 to complete the deal.
If that trade is nullified, a three-team deal involving the Padres, Washington Nationals and Tampa Bay Rays could also be affected. In that arrangement, San Diego would receive Tampa Bay catcher Ryan Hanigan. If Grandal returns to the Padres, there’s a chance they won’t need Hanigan anymore. However, San Diego and Tampa Bay coulud possibly meet halfway if that were to happen, per Nightengale.
Matt Kemp‘s physical reveals severe arthritis in both hips, trade with the #Padres on hold. http://t.co/qS6qWjfYCj— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) December 18, 2014
The USA TODAY Sports update also says San Diego can tweak the deal with Los Angeles, “getting more money in return to cover the remaining $107 million in Kemp’s contract or alter the package of prospects the Dodgers are receiving.”
If this were the case, Saxon says the leak of Kemp’s arthritis diagnosis “could give the Dodgers room for grievance.” Los Angeles would base this on the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act which protects the confidentiality of patients’ medical information.
Nightengale points out the Dodgers have been trying to deal Kemp because of his recent injury issues and a cramped outfield rotation which is currently composed of Yasiel Puig, Andre Ethier, Carl Crawford and Joc Pederson.
Update: Shelburne’s sources confirmed on Thursday evening that the deal for Kemp is a go. The trade components will remain the same, although both sides are said to be ironing out a few more details.
Shelburne tweeted the development on Dec. 18:
Dodgers deal w/ Pads on Kemp is gonna go through. They didn’t have to give up anything extra, after that ordeal— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) December 19, 2014
Kemp enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2011 (39 home runs and 126 RBIs), earning runner-up honors for National League MVP. Two shoulder surgeries, a right ankle operation, three ankle strains and arthritis on his hips have hampered his recent performance. Seventeen of his 25 home runs came after the 2014 All-Star break, per ESPN.
Kemp has 1,188 hits, 182 home runs and 648 RBIs on a .292 batting average in 1,116 career regular-season games with the Los Angeles Dodgers, per ESPN stats.
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