The Los Angeles Dodgers‘ hopes of getting their full lineup back will have to wait at least a couple extra days.
Stalwart third baseman Max Muncy’s rehab stint from an oblique strain will be delayed while he recovers from a chest cold.
Muncy is making his second stint on the injured list this season. He has been out of the Dodgers lineup with a Grade 1 oblique strain, which landed him on the injured list retroactive to Aug. 13.
In 89 games for the Dodgers this season, Muncy is slashing .258/.389/.491 with 17 home runs and 64 RBIs and 44 runs scored.
What Did The Dodgers Say About Max Muncy’s Recovery?
The Dodgers are in Pittsburgh — where they fell to the Pirates 9-7 in a wild one Tuesday. From the Steel City, they will go to Oriole Park at Camden Yards for three games against the Baltimore Orioles this weekend.
LA was hoping to have Muncy available by the end of this road trip, yet it has pushed back that timetable after he picked up a bug that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said will delay his return.
âHeâs better but thereâs a chest cold, cough situation going on,” Roberts said. “As far as overall body, he feels good, but itâs pushed back his rehab a few days.”
That likely means Muncy will play a series next week and could either be in line to come back for either LA’s road series against the San Francisco Giants from Sept. 12-14 or when it returns home to meet the Philadelphia Phillies and Giants in its final homestand of the regular season.
Muncy still has not played since straining his oblique against the rival Los Angeles Angels last month and has played just eight games since sustaining a bone bruise in his knee against the Chicago White Sox on July 2.
How Important Is Max Muncy To The Dodgers?
The Dodgers are clinging to the National League West lead, sitting two games up on the rival San Diego Padres while holding the No. 3 seed in the NL. LA trails both the Milwaukee Brewers (6.5 games back) and Phillies (2 GB) and would face the New York Mets in the NL wild-card series if the playoffs started today.
Yet, the Dodgers clearly have their eyes focused on October. The reigning World Series champions are gearing up for another postseason trip and simply want Muncy healthy and built up to play full games in the next month.
Though the two-time All-Star, two-time World Series champ and three-time World Series participant is less of a household name than his former-MVP teammates like Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, Muncy is no less important.
The Dodgers are 54-35 in games Muncy plays and are a less-effective 24-24 in games Muncy has missed this season. They are 28-29 in games that Muncy does not start this year.
Plus, even though Muncy struggled at the plate in the postseason in 2024 (.163 batting average, .755 OPS) — and went 0 for 16 in the World Series — he still finished tied for sixth on the team with eight runs scored, a function of his consistent ability to work walks.
So the Dodgers can ill afford to be without Muncy when they will be facing the best of the best next month.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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