Atlanta Braves Send Outfielder Matt Kemp To Disabled List

Braves Kemp Hits The DL With Hamstring Injury

Atlanta Braves will give Matt Kemp a few more days to heal his sore right hamstring.  Kemp hasn’t been on the field since he was removed from the game on April 7th against Pittsburg.

The injury happened when he made a diving catch in left field in the bottom of the 5th inning.

Nothing looked serious about the play — just your routine big man sprinting towards the line and laying out.  Kemp made the catch, but then was removed from the game.  It sounded precautionary at first.

Being taking out of the game seemed to be precautionary.  Then we got word he would be day-to-day and hope to be back on the field on Tuesday (today).

Well, the lineups came out and Kemp wasn’t on the list.

Unfortunately, this followed…

Braves and Kemp made the call after taking some fly balls in the outfield and running.  He said he didn’t feel comfortable pushing it further.

The 32-year-old told reports today “everything is fine, we just need to be safe.  I’ve had hamstring problems before and I know sometimes when you think it’s gone, it’s not.  Those five extra days (on the DL) can’t kill me.  I want to be out there but also want to play the rest of the season.”

Good news is that this hamstring injury doesn’t sound serious — yes, I know we’ve all heard that before.

BUT then Bowman helped calm us all down

Supposedly Kemp is taking batting practice at the field.  I don’t think the Braves or Kemp would push taking batting practice today if this is anything more.

Because of the new 2017 MLB rule, players are able to be on a 10-day DL instead of the previous 15-day DL.  This could have made the decision to place Kemp on the disabled list easier.  He will be eligible to return to the field on April 18th ‚— next Tuesday.

The Braves are being very cautious with their left fielder and cleanup hitter.  In 2012, Kemp dealt with the same type of injury and came back too early.  That time it was his left hamstring, but he sat out the 15-days and then tried to return.  The second game back, the hamstring flared up again and he was out until mid-July.

Next Man Up

One mans injury becomes the next guys opportunity.  The Braves call up prospect Johan Camargo from the Gwinnett Braves.  Camargo struggled a bit this spring, but hopefully he can get things going.  This will be his first ever MLB stint.

Jace Peterson, Chase d’Arnaud and Emilio Bonifacio will get the majority of starts in left field until Kemp returns.  Camargo most likely won’t get a shot in the field.  Though a good athlete, he’s only played short stop, second base and third base in the minors.

Next: The Braves Are Getting A Makeover

Right about now it would be nice to have Mallex Smith, Dustin Peterson or cough, cough Angel Pagan.