The San Diego Padres have reportedly traded outfielder Matt Kemp to the Atlanta Braves for infielder Hector Olivera, according to Joel Sherman on Twitter.
This is a deal of busts with big contracts. Olivera, 31, was signed by the Dodgers out of Cuba to a 6 year, $62.5M deal in 2015, and was sent to the Braves in July, 2015, as part of a convoluted 3 team deal that involved 13 players and a competitive balance pick. Olivera has been a disaster, and also was suspended 80 games due to a domestic violence incident. The Padres, according to Dennis Lin, may simply DFA Olivera once this deal is done.
The Braves, meanwhile, get a guy who as recently as 2011 was being promoted by some as the best player in baseball, but who now is a bad defender who doesn't get on base, but who still hits home runs. The Braves are taking on salary here, but my guess is that their hope is they can move him to a team that wants a Mark Trumbo-esque DH-type, though they're still going to have to eat a bunch of salary to make a deal.