Rockies sign Matt Kemp from the Reds

Matt Kemp (Dirk Hansen, Wikimedia Commons)

The Colorado Rockies  signed outfielder Matt Kemp of Midwest City, Oklahoma to a one-year contract according to Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post on Tuesday. The Rockies were in need of a player to fill out their roster because Ian Desmond of Sarasota, Florida decided not to play this season because his wife is pregnant with their fifth child.

Kemp has signed a minor-league contract. The financial terms have not been disclosed. In 14 Major League Baseball seasons, Kemp has played 10 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, two seasons each with the San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves, and one season with the Cincinnati Reds.

Last season in Cincinnati, Kemp batted only .200 with one home run and five runs batted in. During 20 games, he scored four runs, collected 12 hits, five runs batted in, one walk, 17 total bases, and one sacrifice fly. Kemp had a .210 on base percentage and a .283 slugging percentage.

There is no doubt that Kemp may not have much more baseball left in him at age 35. The Rockies will be hoping that Kemp returns to his 2018 form where he batted .290 and had 21 home runs and 85 runs batted in, along with an all-star appearance for the Dodgers.

Kemp was an all-star in 2011 and 2012, and had his best career season in 2011. That year he batted .324 with 39 home runs and 126 runs batted in. Kemp led the National League in home runs, Major League Baseball in runs batted in, the National League in runs scored with 115, and National League in total bases with 353.