LOS ANGELES – A month after rolling over in pain with what he feared was a season-ending knee injury, Max Muncy was back in the Dodgers’ lineup Monday, appreciative for a drastic turn of events.
Muncy was activated off the injured list Monday after recovering from a bruised bone in his left knee, while Tommy Edman was placed on the IL for the second time this season with a sprained right ankle.
On July 2, which was better known as the day Clayton Kershaw recorded his 3,000th career strikeout, Muncy was injured when he was tangled up in a slide at third base by the Chicago White Sox’s Michael A. Taylor.
Muncy had to be helped off the field before an MRI the following day cleared him of a more serious knee injury.
“As I was laying there on the ground that night, I thought for sure, ‘This is it,’” Muncy said. “At that time, obviously, you have a million things that start going through your mind (and) they’re all the worst. It’s hard to stay positive in a moment like that.
“But just trying to be thankful and blessed to be able to get back on the baseball field this year. I’m going to try to enjoy every second of it, knowing how close it was to not being there for me.”
Muncy was finally getting back on track both offensively and defensively before his injury after a rough start to the season. He was batting .250 with an .832 OPS and 13 home runs this season, but had a .345 average with a 1.199 OPS and four home runs in the eight games before the injury.
“Body-wise, I feel like I’m in a great spot,” Muncy said. “In the box, things feel good. The first couple games on rehab assignment, there was a little thing in my swing that we were able to identify with the data, made the quick adjustment, and after that the next six, seven at-bats went really well for me.”
Muncy was immediately placed in a run-producing spot in the order, batting fifth, and is set to be there again Tuesday before sitting out Wednesday afternoon’s series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals.
“We’ve certainly missed him,” manager Dave Roberts said.
Two days after Muncy was injured, the Dodgers started a seven-game losing streak and went 10-16 without their left-handed power hitter.
“Certainly that night that he came off the field, you’re starting to think of it being potentially season-ending,” Roberts said. “So to get him back in a month, I think that we’re all excited about it. He’s put in a lot of work to get back with this timeline. … To put him back somewhere in the middle of the order just lengthens and strengthens our lineup.”
WAITING GAME
Roberts said there is no timetable on Edman’s return, suggesting it will be longer than the 15-day IL minimum. The plan this time around is to be overly cautious with an injury that has bothered Edman most of the season.
“I think it’s more making sure that when he gets back, we don’t need to manage it,” Roberts said. “… It doesn’t need to be on again, off again, or potentially lose him for the postseason. Where we’re at on the calendar, we’ve got to make sure we do everything on the front end so that we don’t have a setback.”
Edman, who was key to the Dodgers’ playoff run last season with his ability to play quality shortstop and center field, was batting .228 with 12 home runs and 44 RBIs in 86 games. During last year’s playoffs, he batted .328 with two home runs and 13 RBIs in 16 games and was named National League Championship Series MVP.
ON HIS WAY
Right-hander Roki Sasaki is scheduled to throw a bullpen session this week, then face hitters in a batting practice session Friday afternoon as he continues to recover from a right shoulder impingement.
A minor league rehab assignment could begin as early as next week with Sasaki returning to the roster toward the end of the month.
Sasaki struggled in the start to his major league career by going 1-1 with a 4.72 ERA in eight starts. He had been working through a slight decrease in velocity last season while pitching in Japan.
ALSO
The Dodgers have tried a cortisone shot, rest and non-invasive rehab procedures in an effort to get Kiké Hernandez back from a left elbow injury, with Roberts saying, “Certainly there is no guarantee, but we’re hopeful that he’ll be back.” … Michael Kopech threw his first bullpen session last week on his road back from a procedure to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee and is in line to return when his 60-day IL stint ends at the end of the month. … Left-hander Tanner Scott is set to throw a bullpen this week as he recovers from left elbow inflammation. … Hyeseong Kim (shoulder) took swings with a bat after he already started running and fielding drills as he progresses in what Roberts hopes is a “short-lived” IL recovery.
UP NEXT
Dodgers (RHP Emmet Sheehan, 2-2, 3.60 ERA) vs. Cardinals (RHP Miles Mikolas, 6-8, 4.83 ERA), 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570-AM