Max Muncy has missed a significant portion of the 2025 season due to multiple injuries, which left a significant void in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup.
The first was a bone bruise in early July that cost Muncy one month. Just 11 days after his return, Muncy was again placed on the injured list due to a right oblique strain that forced him to miss three more weeks.
Since returning on Sept. 8, Muncy twice has been hit by pitches that led to him coming out of the game.
On Friday, Muncy was hit on his right arm, near the wrist area, by a 92.2 mph sinker. X-rays were negative, and he returned to the lineup the following day.
In the next game, Muncy ended up being hit on the head by a 94.1 mph sinker. He was then out of the lineup on Sunday, but that was by design and not due to any injury.
Thankfully, Muncy avoided a head injury and has no effects from that, but he still has some soreness on his arm where he was hit, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
It was a planned day off with the Giants starting left-hander Robbie Ray.
Muncy said he felt no ill effects from being hit in the head but still had some soreness in his right arm from Friday’s hit by pitch.
Both times Muncy was hit, he ran the bases before exiting the game when the Dodgers took the field to play defense. Miguel Rojas replaced him on Friday and Kiké Hernández took over on Saturday.
The Dodgers face another left-hander on Monday in Ranger Suárez, but Muncy is expected to be in the lineup.
Even after starting the year in one of his worst slumps, Muncy is once again hitting .252/.388/.476 with 17 home runs, 64 RBI, 45 runs scored, a 142 wRC+ and 2.8 WAR in 93 games.
Max Muncy key to Dodgers lineup?
The left-handed hitter has been a key piece to the Dodgers’ lineup and has seemed to be the glue that makes the offense stick together.
Without Muncy in the lineup, the group has been significantly worse, scoring just 3.98 runs per game without him and 5.8 per game with him.
Although the offense has struggled without Muncy, he didn’t add any pressure to himself once he got back off the IL.
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