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When Max Muncy crumpled to the dirt in agony earlier in July after an awkward collision at third base, even Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes feared the worst. “From a coping mechanism in my head, it was like, ‘OK, he’s done for the year,’” Gomes admitted. That mindset, thankfully, turned out to be premature.
What looked like a potential season-ending knee injury was instead diagnosed as a bone bruise — a fortunate outcome considering how bad the incident appeared. The timeline for Muncy’s return was initially set at six weeks. Now, just under three weeks later, the Dodgers slugger is already taking grounders, swinging freely, and preparing for live at-bats.
“He’s coming a lot quicker than we had hoped or expected,” manager Dave Roberts said Sunday. Muncy will head to the team’s spring training complex in Arizona for live batting sessions, and if all goes well, could start a rehab assignment shortly after. Roberts noted a possible return in early August if Muncy avoids setbacks.
Dodgers have explored a Muncy-replacement option at 3B
With Muncy's timeline uncertain, the Dodgers had explored different avenues to replace the injured 3B. “The Dodgers will be open to also adding a utility player to help fill in the gaps left by their injured players, including third baseman Max Muncy, who is making progress in his recovery from a knee injury,” via Jim Bowden of The Athletic.
The 33-year-old’s quick recovery is nothing short of remarkable — especially considering how close he was to disaster. “If the timing was just a millisecond different either way,” Muncy said doctors told him, “you’re probably looking at surgery, and done for a long time.” Instead, he’s counting his blessings and moving cautiously but confidently forward.
“I think all of us were kind of thinking I wouldn't get to the point that I'm at now for another week or two, and so things have been going well,” Muncy said. “We’ve been very lucky.”
Muncy’s absence has coincided with a cold stretch for the Dodgers. Since he hit the injured list on July 3, Los Angeles is just 4-10 and averaging a meager 3.36 runs per game. Prior to the injury, they were pushing six runs a game — thanks in part to Muncy’s turnaround at the plate.
After a sluggish start to the season, Muncy found his groove beginning April 30 — the same day he began wearing prescription glasses. Over his next 47 games, he batted .304 with 12 home runs and a 1.009 OPS, providing a crucial spark in the middle of the lineup.
Still, the road back isn’t just physical. “You feel it more mentally than maybe physically, and that's a tough thing to get over,” Muncy said of the injury. He’s making sure not to overcompensate with his mechanics, staying locked in on fundamentals to prevent setbacks.
Bone bruises can linger, as catcher Will Smith learned with an ankle injury last season that nagged into spring training. But for now, Muncy says his knee “feels great” when active. The Dodgers won’t rush him — but with their offense sputtering and their lineup missing a key bat, Max Muncy’s accelerated return can’t come soon enough.
