Matt Kemp will almost certainly miss the start of the regular season as he works his way back from left ankle surgery, but he’s making some tangible progress.
According to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, Kemp will be allowed to do more baseball drills after an MRI yesterday came back favorable. It’s possible that he’ll start doing some running, but Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said that he’s at “Step Five” of a seven-step rehab and that there’s still no clear timetable for his return.
The Dodgers have the luxury of quality depth in their outfield, so there’s no need for Kemp to rush things for Opening Day. As of now, Yasiel Puig, Andre Ethier, and Carl Crawford project to begin the year as regulars.
UPDATE: More good news from Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, who reports that Kemp tested his ankle by running today.
