Athletics’ Tony Kemp recalls ultimatum wife gave him when he was drafted


Tony Kemp got the call of a lifetime when he was drafted by the Houston Astros in the fifth round of the 2013 MLB Draft.

However, after he achieved his lifelong dream, the 21-year-old and his future wife faced some adversity.

Michelle Kemp had been pursuing a broadcasting career in Toronto while Kemp was on the road all over the country.

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Tony Kemp swings

Tony Kemp of the Oakland Athletics bats against the Seattle Mariners in the bottom of the third inning of an MLB game at RingCentral Coliseum May 4, 2023, in Oakland, Calif.  (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

So, Michelle gave Kemp one option and one option only: Make it to the majors within three years.

“Obviously, she had to stop her career in broadcasting. She did radio and TV arts up in Toronto. It was tough because she was trending in the direction she wanted to, but I had just gotten drafted in 2013,” Kemp told MLB Network Wednesday, via the New York Post

“She said, ‘OK. You’ve got three years to make the big leagues.’

Tony Kemp playing infield

Tony Kemp of the Oakland Athletics throws to first base to complete a double play against the Seattle Mariners in the top of the second inning of an MLB game at RingCentral Coliseum May 4, 2023, in Oakland, Calif.  (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

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“I said, ‘Three years? That’s less than the time that it [takes] — usually it’s four or five.’ She said, ‘I believe in you, but it has to be three years.’ She wanted to make it worth her while if she was gonna sacrifice her career, and that makes you have a better appreciation of bringing kids into it.”

Kemp hit his deadline, getting his first call-up in 2016. The following season, he won the World Series.

The infielder was traded to the Chicago Cubs in 2019, and he was then sent to the Oakland Athletics the following January, and he has remained there since.

Tony Kemp

Tony Kemp of the Oakland Athletics follows through on his sixth-inning run-scoring infield single against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium May 8, 2023, in the Bronx, N.Y. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

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It seems like it was all worth it. Kemp will make $3.725 million this season. He is slated to become a free agent at season’s end, so he and Michelle will have the option to settle down wherever they please.



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