Dodgers: Another Matt Kemp Reunion Shouldn’t be in the Cards

Former Dodgers’ fan favorite Matt Kemp was released on Saturday.  Despite the injury to A.J. Pollock, the Dodgers should not look to bring back Kemp.

Saturday has not been a kind day for former Dodgers.  The Reds demoted former Dodger Scott Schebler and released fan favorite Matt Kemp.  Kemp was on the injury list with the Reds and is out for the next few weeks after breaking a rib running into the outfield wall.  The Dodgers are a bit short on depth with A.J. Pollock out but they do not need another Kemp reunion.

Between Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernandez, the Dodgers have the right-handed bats needed to fill out the outfield while Pollock recovers.  Taylor has gotten off to a slow start but he has shown signs of life lately hitting a key home run in Friday night’s comeback victory over the Padres. CT3 has also hit better lately slugging .500 in the last seven games. Kemp had gotten off to a slow start with the Reds hitting just one home run with a .493 OPS.

Another Matt Kemp reunion would just take at-bats away from Alex Verdugo who needs all the at-bats he can get right now.  Against southpaws, the Dodgers will play Cody Bellinger and Chris Taylor in the outfield with either Alex Verdugo or Enrique Hernandez taking the last outfield starting spot.  The bench has been short the last few games with David Freese out but he is expected to return to the lineup Saturday.

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This season the Dodgers are looking to break the strict platoons and give left-handed batters like Max Muncy and Alex Verdugo a chance to play against southpaw pitching.  Joc Pederson even got a rare chance to start against a lefty Friday and delivered one base hit.  Bringing Kemp back would just be asking the Dodgers to return to their strict platoons like last season.

It was a treat to see Matt Kemp return last season and go out on a positive note for his Dodger career but bringing him back and expecting another productive season at age 34 is a reach.  Not to mention when Pollock does return, Kemp would just get released again since there would be no room for him on the roster.

The next time the Dodgers bring Matt Kemp back to Dodger Stadium, it should be for a retirement ceremony like the one Andre Ethier had last season.  Kemp will forever be a fan favorite for the current generation of Dodgers’ fans but his productive days are over and the Dodgers have better talent that deserves a shot in the minor leagues and on their active roster.