Dodgers' Matt Kemp listed as day-to-day after shoulder injury

Jorge Ortiz | USA TODAY Sports

SAN FRANCISCO – The cortisone shot had taken effect, and Matt Kemp's troublesome left shoulder felt much better after the Los Angeles Dodgers' 10-2 victory Friday night against the San Francisco Giants.

The painful episode that forced him out of the game was still quite fresh on his mind, though.

Kemp was replaced by pinch-hitter Carl Crawford in the Dodgers' six-run third inning after hurting his surgically repaired shoulder on a swing in the second. Kemp initially stayed in the game and walked, but left when his next at-bat came up.

The team listed him as day-to-day with irritation of the AC joint, which connects the shoulder to the collarbone. Manager Don Mattingly said he didn't expect this to be the kind of injury that sends Kemp to the disabled list.

"I never felt anything like that in my shoulder before. I felt it was worse than when I ran into the wall,'' said Kemp, referring to the Aug. 28 game in Colorado when he first hurt the shoulder.

"I thought I was done, but then I moved it around a little bit and it felt OK. But I tried to take some swings in the cage and it was hurting a lot, so I had to pull out of the game.''

The extended recovery from the shoulder operation likely contributed to Kemp's poor start this season. He was batting .251 with two homers and 17 RBI when he went on the DL with a hamstring strain May 30.

Kemp ruled himself out of Saturday's game but left open the possibility of playing Sunday, although it's doubtful he'll return to the lineup before the three-game series at Arizona that begins Monday. Fellow outfielder Crawford was activated from the DL Friday, so there's no need for Kemp to rush back.

Plus, Kemp might have been feeling overly optimistic after the cortisone shot made the pain go away.

"Right now I feel good. Cortisone is great. Cortisone will make anything feel better,'' Kemp said. "But tomorrow we'll see how it is.''