Matt Kemp missed 12 games from 2008-2011 combined. He'll miss more than that during his latest 15-day stay on the disabled list.
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that the Los Angeles Dodgers' outfielder won't be ready to return when his 15-day stay on the disabled list concludes on Aug. 6.
Kemp went on the DL one day after his first day back from an 11-game absence due to inflammation in his left shoulder on July 21.
The Dodgers star homered and doubled, going 3-for-4 with three runs batted in during that July 21 game. But Kemp sprained his left ankle at home plate and promptly found himself on the DL again the next day.
Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti told the Times that Kemp's injury could stretch into September.
"By the time we have the four (outfielders) you're referring to (Kemp, Carl Crawford, Yasiel Puig and Andre Ethier) all ready to play, we'll be a few weeks from the end," Colletti said.
Kemp missed 42 games earlier in the season with a right hamstring strain. He has not been the same player since he tore his labrum and partially tore his rotator cuff from diving into a fence while trying to catch a fly ball in late August, which effectively ended his 2012 season.
He has just five home runs and 27 RBIs in 62 games in 2013, a shell of his 2011 numbers, in which he homered 39 times with 126 RBI. He also stole 40 bases.
The meteoric rise of the rookie Puig, the return of Carl Crawford from his own injury and the return of shortstop Hanley Ramirez has helped ease the loss of Kemp.
The Dodgers have been baseball's hottest team over the last 33 games, going 27-6 during that span. They were in last place, 9 ½ games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks prior to their streak but had a 3 ½-game lead entering Wednesday night's schedule.
Los Angeles is in a better position to let Kemp fully heal from his ankle sprain because of that streak.
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