While the Los Angeles Dodgers were quiet throughout the Winter Meetings, they made quite the splash on Saturday by acquiring Matt Kemp from the Atlanta Braves in a five-player trade. The Braves received Charlie Culberson, Adrian Gonzalez, Scott Kazmir, Brandon McCarthy and cash considerations.
The deal, a stunner on the surface, meets goals for both teams. By unloading Gonzalez, Kazmir and McCarthy, all of whom are on expiring contracts, the Dodgers project to get under the luxury tax threshold for the 2018 season.
Meanwhile, the Braves added a versatile infielder in Culberson, potential options to fill out their starting rotation, and cleared room in the outfield for their young players while simultaneously ridding themselves of $40 million in salary owed to Kemp.