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Matt Kemp is not in the Atlanta Braves starting lineup for Saturday and remains day-to-day with what was described as hamstring tightness. Jace Peterson will make his first start of the season in left field in place of Kemp.
4/8 #Braves @ #Pirates (7:05)
— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) April 8, 2017
Inciarte CF
Swanson SS
Freeman 1B
Garcia 3B
Markakis RF
Phillips 2B
Peterson LF
Suzuki C
Dickey P
Kemp told reporters on Friday that his hamstring was tight early on in Friday’s series opener against the Pirates that was played in very cold temperatures. Kemp robbed PIttsburgh’s Josh Harrison of a hit in the fifth and then singled in the sixth before being lifted for a pinch runner.
Kemp is off to a red hot start for the Braves so far this season going 8-for-16 with four doubles and two home runs. Adonis Garcia will bat in the cleanup spot for Atlanta on Saturday.
Update
It doesn’t sound like we will see Kemp again until Tuesday at the earliest.
Kemp is available to pinch hit, but he likely won't return to the lineup until Tuesday's series opener in Miami.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) April 8, 2017