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Morosi: Tigers A Long-Shot Candidate For Outfielder Matt Kemp

By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak

DETROIT (CBS DETROIT) - For the Detroit Tigers, acquiring 2011 and 2012 All-Star outfielder Matt Kemp from the Los Angeles Dodgers would be "one of the boldest moves in baseball this offseason," writes Jon Morosi of Fox Sports.

Kind of sounds like a description that has Dave Dombrowski written all over it, does it not?

The Tigers general manager has pulled off some surprising and impressive deals. This year the most notable one was off-loading first baseman Prince Fielder and his massive contract this off-season in exchange for cash and a solid second baseman in Ian Kinsler.

Morosi reports that the Tigers, the Boston Red Sox and the Seattle Mariners have all been in contact with the Dodgers regarding Kemp, who has six years and $128 million remaining on his contract. The Dodgers, one of the biggest-spending teams in the country, could include cash in a Kemp deal to offset some of his contract.

In 2011, Kemp hit .324 with 39 home runs and 126 RBIs. In 2012, he hit .303 with 23 home runs and 69 RBIs, but he played in just 106 games because of injury. Injuries became an issue again in 2013, when he played barely more than half the season, 73 games, and his numbers were among the lowest of his career.

In October, Kemp had shoulder surgery and ankle surgery.

Though the Tigers just signed outfielder Rajai Davis on Tuesday, they could still be interested in Kemp, though center fielder Austin Jackson might need to be traded to open up a place for Kemp. Another factor that makes the long-shot deal a bit more likely is that Kemp and new Tigers manager Brad Ausmus played together for the Dodgers in 2010 and 2011 and reportedly had a good relationship, according to Morosi.

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