Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier shared the Dodgers clubhouse for a decade. They debuted in the same month in the spring of 2006, and contributed to four division titles. On Wednesday, the Dodgers announced they would honor Ethier’s retirement with a ceremony at Dodger Stadium next week. A day later, Kemp mused about the passage of time, and pondered his own place in franchise lore.
The prospect looked unlikely when the Dodgers dealt Kemp to the San Diego Padres before the 2015 season. It still seemed unlikely when the Dodgers reacquired the outfielder last winter. As Ethier was sidelined for chunks of time because of injuries in their three years apart, Kemp bounced from the Padres to the Atlanta Braves, suffering from his own ailments and chafing at the losing.