Skip to main content

Dodgers slugger Matt Kemp hopes to be ready by opening day

Dodgers slugger Matt Kemp hopes to be ready to play on opening day. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

Dodgers slugger Matt Kemp hopes to be ready to play on opening day. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star center fielder Matt Kemp says he is continuing rehab on his injured shoulder and is aiming to start the season fully healthy.

Kemp suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder when he hit the outfield wall at Coors Field in Denver last August and underwent surgery in October.

He was limited all season with various shoulder and hamstring injuries and played only 102 games. Kemp hit .303 with 23 home runs and 69 RBI last season after finishing second in the National League most valuable player voting in 2011.

"I’m not trying to be 100% in spring training,” Kemp said to the Los Angeles Times. “I’m trying to be 100% for the first game of the season.

"I play hard. I run into walls,” Kemp said. “Maybe I need to be more in control when I’m getting to a wall, but me jumping into fences and diving — I’m not going to change my game up. I’m still going to do what I need to do to help my team win.”