As the Atlanta Braves figure out what to do with their new addition in Matt Kemp, they know one thing: he needs to drop a few pounds.
The Braves and Kemp both reportedly agree that the outfielder needs to lose some weight during the offseason, according to Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball.
Atlanta believes that for Kemp to get close to his prime self again, he needs to get back to his prime weight, which was listed at 208 pounds. Kemp is now listed at 215, but that may be on the conservative side.
The Braves need Kemp’s defense to stop slipping if they want him to be more than a platoon player. He still has power — he’s hit 24 home runs in 2016 — but he’s not the same player he was a few short years ago. Perhaps it will also help that the move to Atlanta may help him rediscover his passion for the game.
