Kemp excited about ‘new journey’ with Braves

9:13 PM ET

ATLANTA — Matt Kemp once believed he would spend his entire career with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Now that he has been traded twice in 19 months, Kemp is just excited somebody still wants him. He debuted Tuesday night for the Atlanta Braves, batting cleanup and playing left field three days after being acquired from San Diego.

“I never, ever thought I was going to be traded,” Kemp said before the game. “I always thought I was going to be with the Dodgers.”

Kemp wrote Monday for The Players’ Tribune that the Braves were his favorite team as a kid. He mentioned some of the rocky times he had with the Dodgers, when his attitude suffered.

Matt Kemp has gone from “never, ever” thinking he was going to be traded from the Dodgers, to joining his third team in 19 months. “I don’t think the East Coast really knows that much about me,” Kemp said. “This is my introduction to them.” Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

Speaking with several reporters before Tuesday’s game, Kemp indicated that he wanted to pre-empt notions that he’s not a team player.

“It’s stuff that’s out there, not all stuff that I agree with,” he said. “I don’t want people here to wonder about me as a person. I’m here to be a good teammate and to help lead these guys in the right direction. I’m excited about this new journey.”

The Braves traded troubled outfielder Hector Olivera for $10.5 million and Kemp, who is earning $21.5 million this season and will make the same salary in each of the next three years.

Kemp received loud …

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