Atlanta Braves Matt Kemp and Brandon Phillips exit game in bottom of the 5th
By Jeff Schafer
Braves outfielder Kemp and second baseman Phillips exit game in bottom of the 5th
Please, please, please be for precautionary reasons…please. Atlanta Braves outfielder Matt Kemp left the game on Thursday night after he singled to center field in the 5th inning. At the time, the Braves were down 6-5, but this happened in the middle of the explosive seven-run inning.
After Kemp singled on an 0-2 fastball pitch to end the Giants starting pitcher Matt Cain‘s night, Danny Santana ran for him.
Kemp exited the game extremely quickly after he got that base hit. It was like he said to himself “crap, here we go again”.
Kemp's quick exit was similar to the one he made in Pittsburgh during the season's first week. Looked like he knew that was his last at-bat
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 23, 2017
The 32-year-old has already had two DL stints this season because of hamstring issues.
In the top of the 5th inning, Kemp had a very nice running catch in the gap to prevent a Brandon Crawford double and another run. He could have aggravated the hamstring then.
When Lane Adams blasted his home run in the 5th, Kemp was nowhere to be found in the dugout.
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Just watching Kemp the past few nights, it seems like there is something wrong…it may be this damn hamstring.
Brandon Phillips Exit
In his second at-bat of the 5th inning, Phillips started tending to his groin area after a second pitch swinging strike. Chip and Joe picked up on it right away on the FOX Sports broadcast.
After each pitch during this at-bat, Phillips tended to this area. BP eventually walked during this AB and then later hustled from first to third on a single by Nick Markakis.
All eyes were on Phillips when he stopped at third, but he looked okay. Once Phillips got into the dugout the trainers and manager Brian Snitker had a discussion with him. After they talked, the FOX cameras followed Phillips walking through the dugout and he was definitely gingerly walking.
He was removed from the game and Santana went to second base.
Currently no updates from the Braves or any of the beat writers about the significance of these injuries…probably no one knows just yet. Once we hear something, we’ll update.
UPDATE – post game report…
Braves beat writer Mark Bowman is reporting that “Kemp exited with a tight left hamstring and Phillips exited with left groin tightness. Both are day-to-day”
Later in the night, Bowman posted this to twitter…
“Kemp and Phillips tested well after exiting. Phillips said he plans to play tomorrow.”