Opening Day a national holiday?

Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith wants the federal government to make Opening Day of the majorleague baseball season a national holiday.

Smith is leading a campaign to collect 100,000 signatures within 30 days under the ‘‘We the People’’ petitioning program, which would trigger a review by President Barack Obama.

‘‘Coming from St. Louis, being such a baseball town, [Opening Day] is sort of an unofficial holiday, so we thought it would be a good idea for Mr. Smith to just take a trip to Washington,’’ Smith said Tuesday.

Smith, 59, played for the Cardinals from 1982 to 1996. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002.

‘‘I don’t know exactly what the odds of success are,’’ Smith said. ‘‘I’m sure that we’ll get the 100,000 signatures.’’

Injury report

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp is scheduled to have an MRI exam on his surgically repaired left ankle Friday.

Manager Don Mattingly said the scan will determine whether Kemp can accelerate his rehabilitation from microfracture surgery in October. Kemp, who suffered the injury in July, has been limited to batting practice in spring training and hasn’t been able to run.

Cardinals left-hander Jaime Garcia will seek a second opinion on his surgically repaired throwing shoulder before deciding his next course of action, general manager John Mozeliak said. Garcia started feeling pain in the joint again last week.

The San Diego Padres said an MRI exam confirmed a Grade I right-calf strain for third baseman Chase Headley. Manager Bud Black said Headley is expected to be out two to three weeks.

The Colorado Rockies said right-hander Jhoulys Chacin will be out at least another week with a sore throwing shoulder.

Darvish to pitch opener

The Texas Rangers confirmed what everyone already had suspected: Right-hander Yu Darvish will start Opening Day on March 31 against the Philadelphia Phillies.

‘‘I just wanted to give him an opportunity to have time to have it sink in and prepare, that’s it,’’ manager Ron Washington said.