Howie Kendrick ran the bases at full speed without pain — the last hurdle to clear in his recovery from a strained left hamstring.
“The biggest thing is how I feel tomorrow, then we’ll see from there,” he said.
Kendrick and Dodgers manager Don Mattingly were both non-committal when asked where the second baseman would be Friday. He could return to the Dodgers or partake in a minor-league rehab game; however, the only minor league affiliate still playing Wednesday was Single-A Rancho Cucamonga, who faced possible elimination in Game 5 of the California League playoffs.
Kendrick said he’d already seen 90 pitches the last two days in simulated games at Dodger Stadium.
“I want to have confidence going into playing that I feel the best that I can,” he said. “Right now I feel good. We’ll see where we’re at.”
The news was not as encouraging for shortstop Jimmy Rollins. He had to stop playing catch after feeling pain in his right index finger after about 10-12 throws, Mattingly said.
Rollins is dealing with an inflamed tendon in the finger. He will not be back Friday.