The Reds introduced again Tony Kemp on a minor league contract. The transfer was introduced by Cincinnati’s Triple-A workforce in Louisville, the place the second baseman/left fielder has been assigned.
It’s the second time this 12 months that Kemp has signed a non-roster cope with the Reds. He first joined the group in February. The Vanderbilt product performed in eight Spring Coaching video games with Cincinnati. He didn’t make the workforce and was granted his launch. Every week later, Kemp signed an enormous league cope with the Orioles that assured him $1MM.
The veteran’s keep in Baltimore was pretty transient. Kemp appeared in 5 video games earlier than being designated for task in tandem with Jackson Holliday’s first huge league name. Kemp inked a minor league cope with the Twins after being launched by Baltimore. He appeared in 46 video games for Minnesota’s Triple-A workforce, hitting .279/.358/.436 whereas hanging out simply 12.8% of the time. Kemp opted out of that contract final week and returned to free company.
Cincinnati nonetheless doesn’t have a path to enjoying time at second base. Jonathan India went on a tear in June to reestablish himself as David Bell’s leadoff hitter. India was scratched from tonight’s beginning lineup with a left knee contusion (h/t to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer), however there’s nothing to recommend that’s greater than a day-to-day concern.
Barring an harm to India, Kemp’s higher path to enjoying time might be in left area. The Reds are shorthanded within the outfield in the intervening time. Jake Fraley is away from the workforce attending to a household matter. TJ Friedl, Nick Martini and Stuart Fairchild are all on the injured checklist. Kemp has greater than 2100 innings of second base and left area expertise on the MLB degree. If the Reds had been to name him up, they’d solely be accountable for the prorated portion of the $740K minimal wage for any time he spends within the majors. The Orioles stay on the hook for the remainder of his wage.
