The Los Angeles Dodgers are in the postseason and will match up against the Atlanta Braves in the playoffs and while the team has been excellent this season, winning the World Series could be tough, as star Matt Kemp is being shut down for the rest of the year, including the postseason.
According to ESPN.com, Kemp is being shut down for the rest of the season so that he can get fully healed back from an ankle injury, meaning that the team will have to deal with him not being in the lineup as they take on the Braves in postseason play. The Dodgers won the National League title and are in the postseason for the first time since four years ago, but now Kemp will not be around to contribute and it is a fitting end for what was mostly and injury plagued season.
The report says that the team looked at an MRI for Kemp and felt that it would be best for him to rest his ankle to get it fully healthy instead of possibly getting it injured worse. The news was disheartening for Kemp and for the Dodgers, who went from being one of the worst teams at the start of the season to one of the best after a record streak over the summer. The team has the pitching to win, but they are dealing with numbers of injuries, including to Andre Ethier as well, leaving names like Skip Schumaker to fill in.
Either could be a factor later, but Kemp will not be on the postseason roster this year and it is disappointing two years after he came in second to Ryan Braun for NL MVP. This season Kemp played in less than 80 games and hit .270 with six home runs and 33 RBIs and 15 doubles with 71 hits and now the Dodgers must move on without him.
The team starts their series against the Braves on Thursday in Atlanta and then Friday will be Game 2 before Sunday picks up game 3. The series then will shift into next week with Monday and Wednesday having games 4 and 5.
