On Friday, July 2, 2021, during the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati, the Reds wear special hats in honor of the Fourth of July. Joey Votto’s RBI double scored two runs and secured the win for the Reds. Mandatory credit: Sam Greene/The Enquirer through Imagn Content Services, LLC.
The Cincinnati Reds, who had Wade Miley in town a few years ago, are now attempting to sign another Houston Astros alumni.
On Friday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post claimed that the Reds had reached an agreement with veteran outfielder Tony Kemp. They are giving a minor-league deal with an MLB camp invite to the 32-year-old Kemp.
Kemp joined the Houston Astros in 2016 and helped them win the World Series in 2017. He was dealt to the Chicago Cubs in 2019 as part of the Martin Maldonado transaction, and then to the Oakland Athletics many months later. Kemp was a.279 hitter with an.800 OPS in 2021, but he had a bad year in 2023, batting.209 with a.607 OPS in 124 A’s games.
Kemp, with 35 home runs in eight career seasons, is about as powerful a hitter as Glass Joe. However, he can provide speed on the basepaths, solid defense in both left field and second base (with a flair for incredible grabs), and a generally durable everyday presence. This comes after the Reds acquired another veteran depth piece earlier this month.
