Matt Kemp can't swing a bat until January after surgery, but expected ready for opening day

Matt Kemp had surgery on his left shoulder on Friday in Los Angeles, and the center fielder has plenty of rehabilitation in his future. But the Dodgers say Kemp is expected to be ready by opening day.

The procedure took about an hour and was performed by team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache. Kemp had a tear of the labrum in his left shoulder that required repair, and also had some minor debridement of the rotator cuff. Kemp suffered the injuries when crashing into the center field wall at Coors Field in Denver on Aug. 28.

Kemp will begin physical therapy in 7-10 days.

On Thursday, manager Don Mattingly said that even if Kemp's surgery required a repair he was confident his center fielder would be back in plenty of time. "All scenarios that I have heard is that Matt will be ready to play opening day and for spring training," Mattingly said.

The Dodgers say Kemp is not expected to begin swinging a bat until early January, but that Dr. Neal ElAttrache expects that the center fielder will be ready by opening day, which is a scheduled home game against the Giants on April 1.