Business

AP source: Dodgers, Kemp agree to 2-year deal

admin Contributor
Font Size:

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Matt Kemp and the Los Angeles Dodgers reached a preliminary agreement Friday on a $10.95 million, two-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal, subject to a physical, hadn’t been completed.

The move means Los Angeles avoids salary arbitration with Kemp, who batted .297 with 26 homers and 101 RBIs last season. He also stole 34 bases and won his first Gold Glove in center field.

The Dodgers also avoided arbitration with right-hander Chad Billingsley, who agreed to a $3.85 million, one-year deal. Billingsley was an All-Star last season but struggled in the second half and finished 12-11 with a 4.03 ERA for the NL West champions.

Kemp would make $4 million in 2010 and $6.95 million in 2011, with the chance to earn another $500,000 in performance bonuses during the contract.

Because the deal wasn’t finalized yet, Kemp was one of 128 major league players who filed for arbitration by Friday’s deadline.

Billingsley was not on the list.