Matt Kemp trade on hold as physical reveals arthritis in hips

The agreed-upon trade that would send Matt Kemp from the Dodgers to the Padres is on hold because Kemp's physical exam revealed arthritis in both of his hips, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Nightengale notes that the Padres are consulting medical experts before deciding how to proceed with the situation.

At this point, two of the players who were rumored to be traded to Los Angeles in the deal have not been notified, according to major-league sources. The Dodgers' deal with the Phillies involving Jimmy Rollins may hinge on the Kemp deal, because they are set to send Padres' pitcher Zach Eflin to Philadelphia as part of that deal after receiving him in exchange for Kemp, but obviously cannot do that if Eflin is still a member of the Padres' organization.

There is a growing sense in the baseball industry that a return to Los Angeles would be nearly impossible for Kemp, as the awkwardness created by the trade rumors and physical issues may cause the team to become even more aggressive in their willingness to move him. This may cause the Dodgers to throw in even more money in a potential deal with the Padres, or scrap the deal altogether and look to trade Kemp elsewhere for a lesser price.