MLB Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on Matt Kemp, Justin Upton and More

With the annual winter meetings under way in San Diego, rumors, speculation and gossip are going to be flying through the interwebs at a frantic pace. 

Much like the month(s) leading up to the trade deadline, a lot of the talk will be nothing more than smokescreens, but there is surely a lot of useful information about the offseason happenings. 

Let's take a look at some of the most interesting trade buzz from Day 1 of the meetings. 

Matt Kemp

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Matt Kemp is the most popular name on the trade market this winter, and for good reason. After a miserable 2013 campaign, and a slow-ish start to 2014, the two-time All-Star re-established himself as one of the best right-handed hitters in baseball this summer, hitting .309/.365/.606 over the second half. 

But the Los Angeles Dodgers have an excess of outfield talent, and new GM Farhan Zaidi seems intent on shedding some salary. So Kemp, who is owed more than $100 million over the next five seasons, has been placed smack-dab in the middle of the trade block. 

A big bat with a massive contract. Surely it will be a major-market team with never-ending pockets like the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels or Philadelphia Phillies, right? 

Well, not quite, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale:

Yes, that would be the same San Diego Padres team that had a payroll of about $72 million in 2014 potentially acquiring a player set to make nearly a third of that next season. 

Still, as Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal noted, a deal isn't done quite yet:

Kemp is a tremendous offensive talent, and an obvious need for the Padres, who finished last in the NL in OPS and several offensive categories last season. But Kemp still has question marks (defense, injury risk), and unless the Dodgers eat a significant portion of his contract, it's a large risk to take for a team with such a small payroll. 

Justin Upton

Todd Kirkland/Associated Press

MLB.com's Mark Bowman provided an update on the teams looking to acquire Justin Upton:

Upton's value is clear. Right-handed power is becoming more scarce, and he provides exactly that. With very little lineup protection around him, the 27-year-old hit .270/.342/.491 last season with 29 home runs and 102 RBI en route to his second Silver Slugger award. It was his fifth season in the past seven with an OPS of at least .800. 

Moreover, as CBS Sports' Jon Heyman noted, his price tag is cost-efficient:

On the other hand, he has just one more year on his contract before hitting free agency. It's much more difficult for teams to give up a prospect when there's a significant chance they'll only get a player for one season. 

Per Heyman, teams have been unwilling to offer anything better than Shelby Miller, whom the Atlanta Braves received in return for Jason Heyward. That means no coveted youngsters—no Kevin Gausman from the Baltimore Orioles, no Taijuan Walker from the Seattle Mariners, etc. 

While the Upton rumors certainly have legs, it seems we are still a ways off from a trade coming to fruition. 

Other Rumors

Don Boomer/Associated Press

While the Boston Red Sox have been busy attempting to woo free agent Jon Lester back home, they are also interested in another dominant lefty, per Rosenthal:

Cole Hamels was lights-out last season, finishing with a 2.46 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 198 strikeouts in 204.2 innings. He is owed $96 million over the next four years (with a $24 million option in 2019), and it's going to take a haul of prospects to get Philly to bite, but he would be the top-of-the-rotation starter Boston is seeking.

A less-impactful starter on the trade block is Dillon Gee. According to ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin, the New York Mets are "aggressively shopping" the 28-year-old. They have depth at the position with Matt Harvey returning, and Gee had a 4.00 ERA and 1.25 WHIP last season.

Color Sports Illustrated's Joe Sheehan unimpressed, though:

Finally, there is some interest in the Cleveland Indians' Carlos Santana, via Fox Sports' Jon Morosi:

The Indians announced they acquired Brandon Moss on Monday, so it's not surprising they are listening to propositions. Still, Santana hit 27 home runs and drew an AL-leading 113 walks in 2014. Perhaps more importantly, he is owed an extremely reasonable $14.25 million over the next two seasons. 

It's difficult to imagine Cleveland parting ways with him.