Dodgers not happy with AJ Preller over Matt Kemp trade

The Dodgers are not happy with San Diego Padres GM A.J. Preller over the way the Matt Kemp trade unfolded.

The Dodgers and Padres agreed to a trade with Kemp as the centerpiece exactly one week ago. Despite the agreement, the trade was not officially completed until Thursday because of supposed concerns regarding Kemp’s physical.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that the Padres had concerns over arthritis in Kemp’s hips. It sounds like the Dodgers believe the Padres made that up to try getting more from LA in the deal.

ESPN explains the Dodgers’ feelings.

There could be some lingering ill will between the Dodgers’ front office and first-year Padres general manager A.J. Preller because of the belief that Kemp’s physical results were leaked to help San Diego pry further concessions out of its NL West foes, sources said. The Padres did ask for additional compensation from the Dodgers after Kemp’s physical, but Los Angeles refused.

The trade went through as originally agreed; the Dodgers are sending Kemp, $32 million and Tim Federowicz to the Padres for catcher Yasmani Grandal and pitchers Joe Wieland and Zach Eflin.

Whatever tactics San Diego tried to employ did not work.

Perhaps it’s reasons like this why the Dodgers and Padres have not traded with each other very much. According to Jayson Stark, prior to this deal, the Paderes and Dodgers had only made two trades since 1969.