Max Muncy was replaced by Cody Bellinger as part of a double switch in the eighth inning on Thursday night in a move that largely went unnoticed. Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed after his club’s 9-8 win against the San Francisco Giants it was due to minor injury.
Muncy suffered a contusion on his right ankle after fouling a pitch off during an at-bat in the sixth inning. Muncy took a minute to regather himself and wound up striking out. “Got some tests, came back negative, but just couldn’t swing the bat,” Roberts said.
“So that’s why we brought Cody in for him. We’ll see where he’s at tomorrow.”
Muncy played the field without any noticeable limitations. He effectively ran to cover second base on a force out in the seventh inning. However, Muncy walked out of the clubhouse with a noticeable limp.
He wasted little time getting the better of Madison Bumgarner but an RBI single in the first inning wound up being his lone hit. Muncy was in position to further torment Bumgarner when he came up to bat with the bases loaded in the fourth inning, only to harmlessly pop-out to left field.
Although Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill began the season on the 10-day injured list, and Kenta Maeda and Hyun-Jin Ryu were also sidelined for a brief stretch, the Dodgers had largely manage to avoid serious injury until the past week-plus.
Corey Seager suffered a hamstring strain that is expected to keep him out until at least one or two weeks after the All-Star break, and on Thursday the Dodgers placed Hill back on the IL because of a strained flexor tendon.
If Muncy is to require a stint on the injured list, the Dodgers presumably would recall Matt Beaty from Triple-A Oklahoma City. He was optioned as one of the two corresponding roster moves to recalling JT Chargois and Josh Sborz.
That left the Dodgers with a three-man bench, which Roberts said the club could function with for the time being. Coverage in the bullpen — currently at nine relievers — was more of a pressing matter considering the unit’s workload over the final two games with the Giants.
Regardless, losing Muncy would place more stress on the remainder of the Dodgers lineup to offset the absence of a key contributor. Muncy is batting .283/.381/.543 with 11 doubles, 17 home runs and 46 RBI. He ranks second on the team in home runs and third in RBI.
