The Los Angeles Dodgers (27-35) face a major setback as shortstop Hanley Ramirez returns to the disabled list due to a troubled hamstring, and outfielder Matt Kemp remains inactive.
On Sunday, Kemp participated in a workout exercise—stretching, sprinting, and agility drills—that tested the strength of his recovering strained hamstring. But instead of impressing the medical staff, Kemp stated that his hamstring was still bothersome.
“We’ve hit a little bit of a snag, because he felt just a little something today still,” manager Don Mattingly tells MLB.com. “He’s still not there yet. We’re not where we need to be with him. We do know that he’s not 100 percent.”
Ramirez has yet to make the starting lineup since his return to the team on Tuesday.
“He’s having continued problems,” Mattingly said. “We’ll find out if this is something that ends up being more long term. It hasn’t gone away. If it doesn’t go away, it’s something more than game soreness.”
Ramirez’s persistent soreness has forced him to undergo an MRI. Other than a pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth inning against the Braves on Saturday, Ramirez hasn’t been a primary contributor to the team.
“If you can’t play full speed, it’s tough, especially if he’s playing short,” Mattingly said of Ramirez. “He can hit, but he can’t run.”
The Dodgers are 4-9 in their last nine games—including Sunday’s loss to Atlanta, 1-8—and are last in the NL west.
On Monday the Dodgers face the Diamondbacks to kick off the three game series.
