Former Los Angeles Dodgers player Matt Kemp will be celebrated with a dedicated “Matt Kemp Day” at Dodger Stadium on August 11, coinciding with the Dodgers’ game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. This event will conclude the Dodgers’ “Alumni Weekend,” which also includes the induction of former owner Walter F. O’Malley into the team’s Ring of Honor and the enshrinement of former outfielder Dusty Baker as a “Legend of Dodger Baseball.”
Kemp enjoyed the majority of his 14-year MLB career with the Dodgers, debuting with the team in 2006. He played nearly a decade in Los Angeles from 2006 to 2014 and returned for the 2018 season. During his time with the Dodgers, Kemp became a fan favorite and earned numerous accolades, including three MLB All-Star selections, two Gold Glove awards, and two Silver Slugger awards.
His standout season was in 2011, when Kemp led MLB in home runs and RBIs and won the Hank Aaron Award as the top hitter in the National League. That year, he finished with 39 home runs and 40 steals, nearly joining the elite 40-40 club, and was the runner-up in MVP voting.
Reflecting on his career, Kemp expressed gratitude to the Dodgers: “The Dodgers were the ones who gave me the opportunity to put a big-league jersey on and live out my dream,” Kemp said, according to Dodgers Insider’s Cary Osborne. “So to be able to put that jersey back on and to be around all the fellas is kind of nostalgic, and it’s very exciting to be back in L.A.”
Beyond his tenure with the Dodgers, Kemp also played for the San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, and Colorado Rockies. His last appearance in the MLB was with Colorado during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Kemp recently announced his unofficial retirement in an Instagram post earlier this year.