RADIO
Matt Kemp 2019 Outlook: All-Star Being Overlooked Due To Second Half Slump
6 years agoTraded to the Reds this offseason, Matt Kemp will look to recapture the form that sent him to the All-Star game in 2018. His struggles in the second half of last season were well documented and surely left a sour taste in the mouth of his owners. However, due to his long slump, he is going overlooked in drafts. Rotoballer has the outfielder ranked 239 overall but his ADP is currently 315. Kemp finished the year .290/.388/.481 with 21 HR and 85 RBI, earning 2018 National League Comeback player of the year. The righty’s batted-ball profile doesn’t indicate that he made any major changes in 2018; he did have a high .339 BABIP but averages .338 for his career. The biggest concern for Kemp owners in 2019 is playing time. The Reds have four quality outfielders, and at 34, Kemp is by far the oldest. On the other hand, the Big Red Machine won’t want to pay a $21.5 million to a bench player. The most likely scenario is that Kemp starts versus lefties and Jesse Winker starts vs righties, unless he plays his way into an everyday spot like last year. Playing time concerns makes the three-time Gold Glover more valuable in daily leagues, but he should be drafted inside the top 300 regardless. He currently has an ADP of 313.
