According to Robert Murray of Baseball Essential and league sources, the San Diego Padres have had preliminary trade talks with the Oakland Athletics — about shipping outfielder Matt Kemp to the East Bay, in exchange for a series of prospects.
At this moment, it remains unclear whether or not discussions between these two clubs have advanced, considering the fact that Kemp is scheduled to make $21.5 million over the next four seasons. If the Padres were willing to eat a large portion of the nine-year veteran’s contract, then maybe the Athletics would be willing to take a gamble on the injury-prone 31-year-old from Midwest City, Oklahoma.