The Los Angeles Dodgers pitching staff has returned to health after injuries limited the group for much of the season. Suddenly manager Dave Roberts has more starting pitchers than he knows what to do with. The team’s position players are also getting healthy in time for a postseason run. Both Max Muncy and Tommy Edman received positive injury updates at the end of the regular season.
As expected, Muncy declared himself ready to go for the Dodgers’ Wild Card series against the Cincinnati Reds, per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. The 10th-year veteran will be on the field when the series begins Tuesday.
Muncy has been banged up this season, as injuries have caused him to miss significant time. Most recently, Muncy landed on the IL with an oblique strain that sidelined him for 24 games. Since his return on September 8, the Dodgers’ third baseman has struggled.
Max Muncy is good to go for Reds series
Muncy is slashing .118/.268/.294 with two home runs, three RBI and four runs scored in 11 September games. However, while he’s not hitting much, Muncy is getting hit quite a bit. Since returning from the Injured List, two two-time All-Star has been hit by three pitches.
Muncy was plunked on the right wrist in a game against the San Francisco Giants on September 12. He was then hit in the head during the following game, forcing another early exit. The Giants got Muncy again, in a separate series, with a third HBP on September 20.
Although he was able to play in the next three games, Muncy sat out the series against the Seattle Mariners with bruising on his leg. The Dodgers had already clinched the division at that point. The team was locked into the third seed in the National League regardless of the outcome of the series. So manager Dave Roberts thought it best to rest the banged up infielder.
On the season, Muncy hit .243 with an .846 OPS. He had 19 homers, 67 RBI, 48 runs scored, a 136 OPS+ and 3.6 bWAR in 100 games for the Dodgers. He’s also played strong defense for the team when healthy enough to take the field.
The Dodgers are looking to repeat as World Series champions. Muncy has won two titles with the team, in 2020 and 2024. Last season, the 35-year-old third baseman went hitless in 16 World Series at-bats. However, he helped Los Angeles reach the Fall Classic with three total home runs in the NLDS and NLCS.
