ATLANTA -- The Braves remain hopeful Matt Kemp will avoid going on the disabled list for the second time this season with a hamstring ailment. But the left fielder was not healthy enough to return to the lineup for Friday night's series opener against the Marlins at SunTrust Park.
"He is day to day as his strength is good but just has a little tightness," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "We've got to get him out here and see where he is at today."
Kemp exited Wednesday's game at Nationals Park when he felt discomfort in his left hamstring while attempting to advance from first to third base on catcher Jose Lobaton's errant pickoff attempt.
The Braves are cautiously optimistic Kemp's latest ailment isn't as severe as the strained right hamstring that forced him to the DL in April. But they were also hopeful before putting him on the DL four days after he sustained that injury two months ago.
"I think it bit him a little more in Pittsburgh than what it did [in Washington]," Snitker said. "I think it was a little more precautionary as he felt it from second to third on that overthrow. So we will hope and take it day to day."
The Braves went 5-7 and averaged 4.3 runs per game during Kemp's DL stint. The possibility of losing Kemp could further weaken the lineup's ability to produce runs with first baseman Freddie Freeman out another six weeks with a broken wrist.
With Kemp unavailable on Friday night, Danny Santana started in left field and Tyler Flowers filled the cleanup spot.