In yet another brutal injury development in what has been a season full of them for the Los Angeles Dodgers, third baseman Max Muncy is officially headed to the 10-day injured list with a Grade 1 oblique strain, per Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.
Dodgers fans had been holding their breath since Wednesday, when Muncy was a late scratch from the lineup against the Angels due to side soreness that he experienced during pregame cage work. He had been considered day-to-day prior to his IL designation, with the Dodgers operating out of an abundance of caution due to Muncy’s lengthy history of side injuries.
Muncy missed an extended period of time last season with a right oblique strain, but manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Wednesday that this latest issue was “not the same” as what his third baseman dealt with in 2024.
Roberts told reporters (including Gonzalez) that Muncy’s latest injury will force him to miss more than the 10-day minimum, though it is not expected to be season-ending. As we’ve come to learn, though, Roberts isn’t exactly reliable when it comes to prognosticating his players’ injury timelines, so Dodgers fans may be wise not to raise their hopes exponentially. He’s been especially bad this year as his assessments vs. the Dodgers’ reality have been night and day.
Dodgers add infield depth, DFA pitcher ahead of Friday’s game vs Padres
Muncy’s injury is a brutal blow at the worst possible time for the Dodgers. He had just returned from the IL last week after missing more than a month with a knee injury and provided an immediate spark on offense, hitting .348/.531/.870 in eight games with four home runs and an OPS of 1.401. If the Dodgers lose him for most of the remainder of the regular season and then don’t have him in a rhythm for October, that would be extremely difficult for them to recover from.
In the meantime, rookie Alex Freeland will presumably get the bulk of the starts at third base until Muncy returns, with Miguel Rojas moving to second. In 12 games this season, Freeland is hitting just .176/.333/.176 with 12 walks against 13 strikeouts and a pair of RBI.
The Dodgers also claimed first baseman Buddy Kennedy off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday to replenish their bench depth. To create space for Kennedy on the 40-man roster, Los Angeles designated right-handed pitcher Julian Fernandez for assignment.
Roberts told reporters (including Gonzalez) that Muncy’s latest injury will force him to miss more than the 10-day minimum, though it is not expected to be season-ending. As we’ve come to learn, though, Roberts isn’t exactly reliable when it comes to prognosticating his players’ injury timelines, so Dodgers fans may be wise not to raise their hopes exponentially. He’s been especially bad this year as his assessments vs. the Dodgers’ reality have been night and day.
Dodgers add infield depth, DFA pitcher ahead of Friday’s game vs Padres
Muncy’s injury is a brutal blow at the worst possible time for the Dodgers. He had just returned from the IL last week after missing more than a month with a knee injury and provided an immediate spark on offense, hitting .348/.531/.870 in eight games with four home runs and an OPS of 1.401. If the Dodgers lose him for most of the remainder of the regular season and then don’t have him in a rhythm for October, that would be extremely difficult for them to recover from.
In the meantime, rookie Alex Freeland will presumably get the bulk of the starts at third base until Muncy returns, with Miguel Rojas moving to second. In 12 games this season, Freeland is hitting just .176/.333/.176 with 12 walks against 13 strikeouts and a pair of RBI.
The Dodgers also claimed first baseman Buddy Kennedy off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday to replenish their bench depth. To create space for Kennedy on the 40-man roster, Los Angeles designated right-handed pitcher Julian Fernandez for assignment.
