As the Los Angeles Dodgers looked to force a Game 163 that would decide the National League West, Max Muncy sustained a left elbow injury that sidelined him for the entire 2021 postseason.
It was initially believed the 31-year-old mainly suffered a dislocated left elbow, but the full extent included tearing the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). Neither Muncy nor the Dodgers offered specifics on what the rehab process entailed, but both sides kept a positive outlook.
Muncy benefitted from the the longer-than-usual offseason and reported to Spring Training on time. He wound up playing in 11 of the Dodgers’ 18 exhibition games.
During an appearance on “Dodger Talk,” Muncy told David Vassegh of AM 570 L.A. Sports that surgery to repair the torn UCL in his left elbow was never an option:
“It was never really on the table for me. All the doctors said it didn’t need to happen. A lot of medical talk, but something to do with it being my left arm and how the ligaments were laying after being torn and everything like that. It was really bad news, but it was the best of the bad news you could get. So when I learned that, it was nice to know I wasn’t going to have to have surgery and all that stuff.”
Muncy maintained throughout Spring Training that he would be ready for Opening Day. While that held true, he likely still isn’t fully recovered from his elbow injury.
Muncy entered play Friday batting just .128/.306/.256 with two doubles, one home run and four RBI in 49 plate appearances this season (12 games).
Muncy seeing time at multiple positions
When the Dodgers signed Freddie Freeman to a six-year contract, it cleared a path for Muncy to receive more playing time at second base and third base. Muncy also is sharing time at DH with Justin Turner and Will Smith.
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