On a day that already saw the New York Mets sign one former All-Star, they’ve now added another All-Star to an area of great need.
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Mets have signed outfielder Matt Kemp to a minor-league deal.
The 34-year-old joins New York less than a month after being released by the Cincinnati Reds. Kemp, who Cincinnati acquired this offseason, landed on the injured list in April after suffering a broken rib.
Kemp’s short stint with the Reds didn’t go well as he posted a .200/.210/..283 slash line with one home run and 19 strikeouts in 60 at-bats. However, New York is likely hoping he can be closer to the form we saw in 2018 with the Los Angeles Dodgers when he posted a .819 OPS with 21 home runs in 462 at-bats.
He should be nearing a return and could potentially join the Syracuse Mets, New York’s Triple-A affiliate, in the near future. Given the absence of Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo, New York could use all the reinforcements it can get in the outfield.