Anthony Allen Kemp was originally signed by Astros scout Nick Venuto¡In 2010 graduated from Centennial High School (Franklin, Tenn.), where he lettered four times in both baseball and football...in 2011 at Vanderbilt University was Freshman of the Year and first-team All-SEC after hitting .329 with a .434 on-base percentage...as a junior in 2013 was SEC Player of the Year after hitting .398 with a .976 OPS...that season ranked second in the country in hits (102) and eighth in batting average.
2023
His 15 stolen bases and seven sacrifice bunts both were single-season career highs...Struck out just 40 times in 419 plate apps for a career-best ratio of 10.48 plate appearances per strikeout...His career-best seven sacrifice bunts were fifth-most in the Major Leagues and the most by an Athletics batter since Jemile Weeks had nine sac bunts in 2012...Reds OF TJ Friedl ranked fourth in the majors with eight sac bunts...Led the A¡¯s with 53 starts in LF and ranked second on the team with 46 starts batting leadoff...Prior to the All-Star break made 46 of his 61 starts at 2B...in the second half made all 38 of his starts in LF.
2022
Got off to a slow start as he was hitting .203 with 11 doubles, two home runs and 14 RBI in 85 games at the All-Star Break¡then batted .278 with 13 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 32 RBI in 62 games after the break¡combined for a .235 average and .641 OPS in 147 games overall...Had the fourth-lowest OPS in the American League and the fifth-lowest slugging percentage (.334)¡however, averaged 8.09 plate appearances per strikeout, which was eighth highest...Led the AL in bunt hits (9) and tied for sixth in sacrifice hits (5)¡the bunt hits were the most by an Athletic since Jason McDonald had 10 in 1999...Had career highs in runs (61), hits (117), doubles (24), RBI (46), hit by pitches (8), stolen bases (11), extra-base hits (33), games, at-bats (497), sacrifice hits and strikeouts (69)...Tied for the team lead in stolen bases and was successful in 11-of-12 (91.7%) stolen base attempts¡is now 22-for-26 (84.6%) in three seasons with the A¡¯s...Batted .198 with the bases empty, .311 with runners on base¡his average with runners on base was ninth best in the AL¡his career splits are .220 with the bases empty, .287 with runners on...Hit .238 (101-for-424) with a .649 OPS against right-handed pitchers, .219 (16-for-73) with a .597 OPS against left-handers...Had a .286 average with runners in scoring position and was 4-for-7 (.571) with a double and eight RBI with the bases loaded...Was successful in all 10 of his stolen base attempts off right-handed pitchers, all nine of his attempts on the road and all eight at night¡is now 14-for-14 in stolen base attempts at night over the last two years...Had a .323 batting average and .901 OPS in the ninth inning...Hit .194 in interleague play and now has a .198 career batting average in interleague games...Led the A¡¯s in games started at second base (67) and in left field (61)¡also made two starts at designated hitter...Committed three errors as a second baseman for a .990 fielding percentage¡that was third highest among AL second basemen with 80 or more games played¡made one error as an outfielder (.991 fielding percentage) and had a career-high four outfield assists...Was 1-for-11 (.091) with an RBI as a pinch hitter but had four walks¡tied for second in the AL in pinch walks...Made a team-leading 103 starts batting leadoff and hit .242 with a .316 on-base percentage in 104 games overall in the leadoff spot¡started games at every spot in the order except three, four and five...DAY-BY-DAY: Was the A¡¯s Opening Day starter at second base and hit .311 with a .415 on-base percentage over his first 13 games through April 21¡then went 10-for-68 (.147) over his next 20 contests from April 22 through the first game of the May 14 doubleheader¡was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts on April 26 at San Francisco¡it was just the third time in his career he struck out three or more times in a game¡committed his third error of the season on May 14 against Los Angeles (AL)¡would not make another error as a second baseman the rest of the year for a 64-game errorless streak, which is fifth longest in Oakland history by a second baseman¡was hit by a pitch an Athletics record tying two times May 15 against Los Angeles-AL (66th time, last: Sean Murphy, June 14, 2021 vs. Los Angeles-AL)¡earned Play of the Week honors May 16 from MLB for his diving catch May 10 at Detroit¡it was his second career honor (week ending May 23, 2021)¡played in the 500th game of his career May 18 against Minnesota¡hit .455 over his final seven games of May but then batted .169 in June and .200 in July¡went 6-for-59 (.102) over a 20-game stretch from June 16 to July 10¡made 47 of his first 55 starts through June 22 at second base¡then made 39 of his next 47 starts through Aug. 31 in left field¡from Sept. 1 through the end of the season, he made 14 starts in left field and 12 at second base¡had a career-high tying two doubles June 25 at Kansas City, his first of four two-double games in 2022¡also homered for the first three-extra base hit game of his career¡had a career-high 0-for-21 streak from July 1 to 11¡had a career-best streak of six consecutive games with an extra base hit from July 24 to 30¡went 9-for-21 (.429) with six doubles, two home runs and six RBI during that stretch¡had an Oakland record-tying streak of five consecutive games with a double from July 25 to 30 (sixth time, last: Laureano, May 20-25, 2019)¡was hitting .211 with four home runs, 22 RBI and a .585 OPS over his first 99 games through Aug. 8¡then batted .282 with three home runs, 24 RBI and a .751 OPS over his final 48 contests¡reached base safely in a career-high tying 14 consecutive games from Aug. 27 to Sept. 14 (also June 9-25, 2021)¡batted .340 with a .407 on-base percentage during the streak and struck out just once in 59 plate appearances¡had a career-high tying 11-game hitting streak from Aug. 27 to Sept. 9 (also May 28-June 6, 2021)¡went 14-for-43 (.326) with nine runs and seven RBI during the streak¡went 3-for-4 with four runs scored, a triple, home run and three RBI on Sept. 11 vs. Chicago (AL)¡the runs scored were a career high¡became just the fifth player in Athletics history with at least four runs, one triple, one home run and three RBI in one game (Harry Davis, July 10, 1901; Jimmy Dykes, Oct. 2, 1925; Jimmie Foxx, May 21, 1930; Roger Maris, Aug. 3, 1958)¡had the second two-steal game of his career on Sept. 17 at Houston (also July 8, 2018 vs. Chicago-AL)¡went 6-for-35 (.171) over his final 11 games beginning Sept. 23¡committed an error as a left fielder on Sept. 25 against New York (NL)¡it snapped a 276-game errorless streak as an outfielder dating back to his last error on May 25, 2016 against Baltimore ¡had three home runs and 14 RBI in 24 games in September¡the RBI are his most ever in a month and the home runs match his most (June 2019, June 2021)¡had a pinch hit walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning Oct. 3 against Los Angeles (AL)¡it was his third career game-ending RBI and it snapped a 0-for-13 streak as a pinch hitter dating back to his last pinch hit on Aug. 29, 2021.
2021
Had the best season of his six-year career as he batted a career-high .279 with a career-high tying eight home runs and a career-high 37 RBI in a career-high 131 games¡also walked a career-high 52 times, which fueled a career-high .382 on-base percentage...His on-base percentage was fourth best in the American League among players with players with at least 300 plate appearances...Also had career highs in OPS (.800), slugging (.418), runs (54), hits (92), doubles (16), extra base hits (27), sacrifice flies (5), at bats (330) and strikeouts (51) and matched his best in hit by pitches (6)¡Tied for sixth in the AL with a career-high four sacrifice hits, which were the most by an Athletic since Eric Sogard had four in 2014...Finished with more walks than strikeouts for the second consecutive season and now has 67 walks and 65 strikeouts in two seasons with the A¡¯s...Hit .208 with a .609 OPS over his first 27 games through May 19, .345 with a 1.044 OPS over his next 29 games from May 20-June 24, .156 with a .483 OPS over a 33-game stretch from June 25-Aug. 11 and .345 with a .921 OPS over his final 42 games beginning on Aug. 12...Batted .347 with a .919 OPS in the seventh inning or later compared to .238 with a .728 OPS in innings 1-6¡his average in the seventh inning or later was second best in the majors among players with at least 100 plate appearances after the sixth inning...Five of his eight home runs and 13 of his 37 RBI put the A¡¯s ahead...Four of his eight home runs came with runners on base as have 12 of his 23 career round-trippers...Batted .290 (74-for-255) with 24 of his 27 extra base hits against right-handed pitchers, .240 (18-for-75) against left-handers¡had a .818 OPS against righties, .735 against lefties...Hit .240 before the All-Star Break, .325 after the break¡that reversed a career trend as he entered the season with a .256 average before the break and .212 after the break...Hit .176 with a .746 OPS in interleague play, .291 with an .806 OPS against AL teams...Started 53 games at second base and 37 in left field¡appeared in a team-leading 89 games at second base and made five errors for a .980 fielding percentage¡did not make an error in 49 games in the outfield and now has a 218-game errorless streak as an outfielder dating back to his last error on May 25, 2016 against Baltimore...Also appeared in one game at shortstop, the first of his professional career...Was 3-for-13 (.231) with two walks, a double and RBI as a pinch hitter...Started games in every spot in the order except third, fourth and fifth¡saw his most action with 26 starts hitting ninth but also batted .323 with a .403 on-base percentage in 18 games hitting leadoff.
2020
Was acquired by the A¡¯s from the Cubs prior to the season and spent the entire season with Oakland¡batted .247 with five doubles and four RBI in 49 games¡his 15 walks fueled a career-high .363 on-base percentage¡had more walks than strikeouts (14) for the first time in his career and averaged a career-best 8.14 plate appearances per strikeout¡made 31 of his 32 starts in games started by a right-handed pitcher¡hit .267 (23-for-86) against right-handers and was 0-for-7 with a hit by pitch against left-handers¡went 1-for-17 (.059) with runners in scoring position¡ averaged 23.25 at bats per RBI, which was third highest in the majors among players with 100 or more plate appearances¡started 31 games at second base and one in left field¡committed just one error in 43 games overall at second base and his .990 fielding percentage was fifth best among Major League second basemen¡has just three errors in 98 career games at second base for a .988 fielding percentage¡did not make an error in three games in the outfield (all in left field) and now has a 169-game errorless streak as an outfielder dating back to his last error on May 25, 2016 against Baltimore¡was 0-for-3 with a walk as a pinch hitter¡pinch ran five times¡ made 13 starts batting ninth and a team-leading 12 in the eight spot¡also made five starts hitting second and once each batting first and seventh¡did not ground into a double play in 93 at bats and now has a streak of 78 games and 140 at bats since his last GIDP on Aug. 20, 2019 against San Francisco.
OAKLAND: Was on the Opening Day roster and started 20 of the A¡¯s first 31 games at second base¡walked three times in a game for the first time in his career Aug. 7 against Houston¡had a career-high tying three hits Aug. 15 at San Francisco (seventh time, last: May 12, 2019 vs. Texas)¡ was batting .306 with nine walks and a .444 on-base percentage over his first 16 games through Aug. 16¡then hit .211 with six walks and a .309 on-base percentage over his final 33 contests¡ struck out just twice over his final 57 plate appearances beginning Aug. 20¡had a RBI double in the second inning Aug. 22 against Los Angeles (AL) for his first RBI of the season¡it snapped a career-high tying 19-game streak without an RBI dating back to Sept. 29, 2019 (also Aug. 8-Sept. 10, 2016)¡hit safely in four straight games from Aug. 22-25 (4-for-14, .286), which matches the longest hitting streak of his career (sixth time)¡equalled his career high with three runs scored Aug. 25 at Texas (also May 12, 2019 vs. Texas)¡started in left field in the second game of the Sept. 26 doubleheader against Seattle after making each of his first 31 starts at second base¡was on the A¡¯s roster for both the ALWCS and ALDS but did not play.
2019
Began the season with Houston and was hitting .227 with seven home runs and 17 RBI in 66 games when he was designated for assignment July 26…was traded to Chicago (NL) July 31 and batted .183 with a home run and 12 RBI in 44 games with the Cubs…combined for a .212 average in a career-high 110 games overall…also had career highs in home runs (8), triples (4) and hit by pitches (6) and matched his best in extra base hits (21)…had a career-high in strikeouts (47) and a career-low in batting average…hit .237 (9-for-38) against left-handed pitching, .208 (43-for- 207) with seven of his eight home runs against right-handers…has hit 14 of his 15 career home runs against righties…connected for six of his eight home runs at Minute Maid Park…had a .168 average in 55 games on the road…batted .275 with four home runs and 14 RBI in 36 day games, .188 with four home runs and 15 RBI in 74 games at night…has eight career home runs in 97 day games, seven in 186 contests at night…hit .283 in May but .228 or lower in every other month… had a .169 average when leading off an inning and is a .183 career hitter in that situation…made 30 starts at second base, nine in left field, nine in center field and three in right field…committed just one error in 43 games overall as a second baseman for a .992 fielding percentage…did not make an error in 33 games in the outfield and now has a 166-game errorless streak as an outfielder dating back to his last error on May 25, 2016 against Baltimore…was 9-for-31 (.290) with a triple, two home runs, seven RBI, five walks and two hit by pitches as a pinch hitter (.421 on-base percentage, .548 slugging percentage)…made 20 starts batting eighth, 18 in the nine spot, 12 hitting seventh and six batting leadoff. MAJORS: Got off to a slow start, batting .143 over his first 13 games…then had a pinch-hit, walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning in Houston's 4-3 win over Cleveland on April 27… it was his first career pinch homer and his first game-ending RBI…that started a 15-game stretch where he went 12-for-33 (.364) with two doubles, two triples and a home run from April 27 to May 22…went 3-for-5 with a triple and three runs scored May 12 against Texas…it was the first time he scored three runs in a game in his career and the three hits matched his career-high (sixth time)…had his first of three career-high tying four-game hitting streaks from June 4-7 (5-for-16, .313)…went 0-for-3 on June 8 and then hit safely in his next four games from June 9-14 (5-for-14, .357)…then went 7-for-38 (.184) over his final 20 games with the Astros…hit his first career home run off a left-handed pitcher July 7 against Los Angeles-AL (José Suarez)…was designated for assignment July 26 and traded to the Chicago Cubs for catcher Martin Maldonado July 31…went 5-for-18 (.278) over his first eight games with the Cubs through Aug. 10…committed his only error of the season Aug. 4 against Milwaukee, snapping a 38-game errorless streak as a second baseman dating back to Sept. 14, 2016…went 4-for-41 (.098) over a 23-game stretch from Aug. 11 to Sept. 12…had eight assists and five putouts Aug. 24 against Washington to become the first Cubs second baseman with that many assists and putouts in a game since Ryne Sandberg on July 24, 1992 at Houston (8 assists, 5 putouts)…connected for his second career pinch home run Sept. 21 against St. Louis…that began a career-high tying four-game hitting streak through Sept. 28… went 4-for-14 (.286) with two doubles, a home run and four RBI during the streak.
2018
Put together the most successful season of his Major League career and was a spark for the Astros offense all season...set career-high marks in games (97), at-bats (255), hits (67), doubles (15), homers (6), RBI (30), walks (32), steals (9), on-base percentage. (.351) and OPS (.743)...posted a .455 on-base percentage in 11 pinch-hit plate appearances, going 2x8 with two doubles, two RBI and three walks...had most of his success when batting ninth in the order, as he hit .308 (56x182) with an .846 OPS (.395 OBP/.451 SLG) in 65 games batting ninth...led all MLB nine-hole hitters in batting average and OBP...his .395 OBP from the nine-spot was the highest mark by a Major League player since Charles Johnson posted a .410 OBP while batting ninth in 2000...grinded out at-bats all season, posting a .336 on-base percentage in two-strike counts, the ninth-best mark in the American League...started 45 games in left field, 27 games in center field and two in right field. began his season at Triple A Fresno...was recalled to Houston on May 16 and remained with the club for the rest of the season...went 2x2 with a career-high five RBI on May 22 vs. SF...became the fourth player in Astros history to record at least five RBI out of the nine-spot in the lineup, joining Jake Marisnick (July 31, 2017 vs. TB), Hank Conger (twice in 2015) and Dave Giusti (1966)...drove in the tying run in the 11th inning off Blake Treinen on July 10 vs. OAK, snapping Treinen's streak of 20 consecutive saves...helped push Houston to a 6-5 walkoff victory... went 3x4 with two doubles and two RBI on Aug. 9 vs. SEA, tying his career-high for hits...became the first lefthanded hitter over a two-season span to record three hits off James Paxton in a single game...became the fifth player in franchise history to record multiple doubles and multiple RBI from the ninth spot in the lineup, and the first since Wade Miller on Sept. 12, 2003 vs. STL...hit a go-ahead pinch-hit double in the 7th inning on Sept. 7 at BOS...was on the Astros postseason rosters for both the ALDS and ALCS, batting .286 (4x14) with one double, one homer, one RBI and a 1.045 OPS (.474 OBP/.571 SLG)...as a starter in the playoffs, went 3x12 (.250) with a homer and a .471 OBP...went 1x2 with a double as a pinch-hitter during the postseason...started Game 3 of the ALDS at CLE, his first-career postseason appearance...went 1x3 with two walks and two runs scored in a start at DH...advanced to second base on throwing errors by Mike Clevinger and Trevor Bauer on pickoff attempts...hit a pinch-hit double in the 9th inning of Game 1 of the ALCS at BOS...went 2x3 with two walks and solo homer in Game 4 of the ALCS vs. BOS...prior to his recall to Houston, hit .335 (54x161) with six doubles, five triples, 19 RBI, 13 steals (15 attempts) and an .841 OPS (.407 OBP/.435 SLG) in 38 games at Triple A Fresno... was leading the Pacific Coast League in steals while ranking second in hits (54) prior to his recall to Houston.
2017
Spent most of the season at Triple A Fresno, where he led all of Triple A baseball in hits (166) and was named Fresno's Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year....appeared in 17 games with Houston over two sints in the Majors, making eightstarts in left field and two in center field...began the season at Triple A Fresno and was recalled to Houston on April 26...optioned to Fresno on April 30...recalled to Houston on Sept. 2...set career highs for hits (3) and RBI (2) on Sept. 27 at TEX in what was his first career start in center field...in 118 games with Triple A Fresno, hit .329 (166x504) with 23 doubles, nine triples, 10 homers, 62 RBI, 24 steals and a .375 on-base percentage...led Fresno with 54 multi-hit games...led the Triple A level in hits and ranked fifth in batting average...his 166 hits and 95 runs both ranked third all-time in Fresno franchise history... posted a 24-game hitting streak from June 22-July 19, which was the longest in all of Triple A baseball in 2017... posted nine triples, two shy of the Fresno franchise record.
2016
In what was his Major League debut, appeared in 59 games, and made 28 starts for the Astros...made 24 starts in left field, three as the designated hitter and one start at second base, while making appearances in center field and right field...hit .235 (4x17) in 19 plate appearances as a pinch hitter...had two doubles, three RBI and one walk in the pinch...had multiple hits in two separate games in which he entered as a pinch-hitter (3x3 on 8/7 vs. TEX, 2x2 on 9/20 at OAK)...opened the season with Triple A Fresno...played in 35 games to open 2016 before he was selected to the Major League roster on May 16, and met the club in Chicago...was optioned back to Fresno on June 24, for 35 more games...was finally recalled to the Major League roster on Aug. 7, where he remained through the end of the season...made his Major League debut on May 17 at CWS as a pinch runner... did not record an at-bat, but scored a go-ahead run in the 8th inning...went 2x3 with a single, double and walk in his first Major League start (LF) on May 18 at CWS...recorded a double in his first at-bat...recorded an outfield assist in the first play for the Astros on defense...tripled on May 24 and June 3...became the fifth player in club history to record two triples within his first 13 career games in the Majors...also Hunter Pence (2007), Brian Hunter (1995), Rob Andrews (1975) and Jerry Grote (1964)...posted a career-high three hits after entering the game on Aug. 7 vs. TEX as a pinch-hitter in the 8th...singled in his pinch-hit plate appearance in the 8th (1st career hit in the pinch) and hit a two-out, game-tying RBI single in the 9th inning to send the game into extrainnings...became the third player in Astros history to record three hits after entering a game as a pinch-hitter, joining Milt Thompson (3x4 on June 30, 1995 vs. PIT) and Enos Cabell (3x3 on June 21, 1984 vs. SD)...it was his first game back after being recalled from Triple A...hit his first career Major League homer on Sept. 25...went his first 102 at-bats in the Majors without a homer...in his first stint with Triple A Fresno (April 7-May 15), Kemp was hitting .298 (36x121) with four stolen bases, seven extra-base hits and 21 walks for a .410 on-base percentage in 34 games...owned a .313 batting average in his second stint at Triple A, which spanned from June 28-Aug. 5... tallied seven doubles, a homer, 14 RBI, six stolen bases and a .369 OBP in 35 games in that span.
2015
Split the season between Triple A Fresno (71g) and Double A Corpus Christi (50g), batting .308 (143x464) with 78 runs, 19 doubles, four triples, three homers, 48 RBI, 35 steals and a .388 on-base percentage in 121 combined games between the two levels...was named to the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and was also named a Double A Texas League Midseason All-Star...logged more games in the outfield than any year of his career...played 92 games at second base (88 starts), 27 in center field (24 starts) and five in left field (all starts) between Corpus Christi and Fresno...began the season at Corpus Christi where he hit .358 (69x193) with 10 doubles, 15 steals and an .876 OPS (.457 OBP/.420 SLG) in 50 games...was tabbed the Corpus Christi May Player of the Month after hitting .326 (30x92) with 11 steals and a .417 OBP in 23 May games...hit lefties (.353, 12x34) and righties (.358, 57x159) equally well while with the Hooks...moved up to Triple A Fresno on June 11 and remained with the club through the end of the season...hit .273 (74x271) with 20 steals and a .334 OBP in 71 games with the Grizzlies...prior to the season, was rated by Baseball America as the Astros No. 18 prospect.
2014
Was named a Class A Advanced California League Midseason and Postseason All-Star...played 72 games with Lancaster and 59 with Corpus Christi, batting .316 (167x528) with 30 doubles, eight triples, eight homers, 58 RBI, 41 steals and an .859 OPS (.411 OBP/.449 SLG)...led all of minor league baseball with 121 runs scored...finished tied for fifth in the minors in hits (167) and 12th in OBP (.411)...was a Rawlings Gold Glove Award recipient for being the best defensive second baseman in the minor leagues...made just seven errors in 524 chances between Double A Corpus Christi and Class A Advanced Lancaster for a .987 fielding percentage... led all Texas League second basemen in fielding (.996), while ranking third among California League second basemen (.980)...started the season at Lancaster before moving up to Corpus Christi on June 25...named the Lancaster April Player of the Month...was named the No. 15 prospect in the Texas League by Baseball America... also rated by the publication as having the "Best Strike Zone Discipline" in the California League...was named the California League Player of the Week for the week of April 26-May 1...named the Texas League Player of the Week for the week of June 30-July 6...also named an MiLB.com Organization All-Star.
2013
Kicked off his professional career with a 75-game campaign between Class A Short Season Tri-City (48g) and Class A Quad Cities (27g)...hit .282 (50x177) with 17 steals between the two levels...was named Tri-City's July Player of the Month.
