If you thought Matt Kemp‘s career was over after he played only 20 profoundly disappointing games for the Reds last year, you thought wrong. He’ll be in spring training in 2020 with the Miami Marlins who just signed him to a minor league deal with an invite to big league camp.
Kemp hit only .200/.210/.283 in 62 plate appearances with the Reds before being released in early May. He signed a minor league contract with the Mets but was injured eight games into his stint at Triple-A Syracuse and never came back. His last full season in the bigs — 2018 — was an overall productive one which saw him hit .290/.338/.481 with 21 homers and 85 RBI for the Dodgers, but he faded in the second half after a quick start and was mostly a non-factor for L.A. that postseason.
Kemp is, reportedly, in better shape than he has been in for a while, so expect some pre-season Best Shape of His Life stories and general optimism. And, given that it’s the Marlins, there’s a chance that the 35-year-old Kemp could break camp with the club. But obviously don’t be the mortgage on it.