Matt Kemp Injury: Updates on Dodgers Star's Shoulder

The Los Angeles Dodgers received great news today, as outfielder Matt Kemp has finally returned to the lineup.

UPDATE: Sunday, July 21, at 10:45 a.m. ET by Brandon Galvin

The Los Angeles Times' Dylan Hernandez has the latest on Matt Kemp's return:

MLB later confirmed the move:

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UPDATE: Friday, July 19, at 3:50 p.m. ET by Sam Westmoreland

Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times has the latest on Kemp's recovery from a shoulder issue. 

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UPDATE: Sunday, July 14, at 2:20 p.m. ET by Brandon Galvin

Orange County Register's Pedro Moura has the latest on Matt Kemp:

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UPDATE: Tuesday, July 9, at 8:33 p.m. ET by Ian Hanford

Orange County Register reporter Bill Plunkett announced Tuesday that Kemp will head to the disabled list:

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Original Text

Ken Gurnick of Dodgers.com tweeted out the news that the outfielder is dealing with a bout of shoulder soreness:

According to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, Kemp attempted to swing the bat on Monday to test out the injury:

The star outfielder was taken out against the San Francisco Giants Saturday after he aggravated an injury to his AC joint, per Jorge Ortiz of USA Today. According to the report, Kemp originally suffered the injury on Aug. 28.    

The struggles with the injury are just the latest development in a difficult season for the two-time All-Star. He has played in just 61 games and has four home runs, 24 RBI and a .254 batting average. 

That is in stark contrast to his 2011 season, when he finished with a .324 average, 39 home runs, 126 RBI and 40 stolen bases in 161 games. In just 106 games in 2012, Kemp batted .303 with 23 home runs and 69 RBI. 

He was put on the 15-day DL in May for a hamstring injury. Now he'll rejoin a crowded Dodgers disabled list that includes Josh Beckett, Chad Billingsley, Scott Elbert, Ted Lilly and Shawn Tolleson. 

The Dodgers will now have to find a way to contend in the ultra-competitive NL West without Kemp in the lineup again. They are currently in second place, trailing the Arizona Diamondbacks by 4.5 games at 42-45.