The Los Angeles Dodgers had a scare on Wednesday when Max Muncy was hit by a pitch on his left-hand.
Muncy was hit during the first inning while batting, but he remained in the game after being checked on by head athletic trainer Thomas Albert and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
He was seen putting on protective padding on his hand, and he was able to field a ground ball without issue. He continued to play until he was pinch-hit for in the fourth inning, when the Dodgers then announced he sustained a left hand contusion.
Muncy went for X-rays on Thursday, and the results showed no break or anything to be alarmed about, according to Juan Toribio of MLB.com:
#Dodgers Max Muncy said x-rays were negative on his left hand. Swelling has gone down.
— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) February 29, 2024
Muncy has been hitting well this spring, going 3-for-6 with one homer and two RBI in Cactus League play prior to being hit. He also came into camp in better shape, and he has appeared more athletic while moving better at the hot corner.
Muncy projects to hit in the middle of the Dodgers lineup and should once again be a key piece of their offense, giving them 30 homer power with great plate discipline.
The left-handed slugger was named a finalist at third base for the National League Silver Slugger last year, but came up short as Austin Riley of the Atlanta Braves won at the position.
Since the start of the 2018 season, Muncy’s 175 home runs are tied for seventh-most in baseball. His 93 homers over the past three seasons are third-most among all third basemen.
Max Muncy ranked as top-10 third baseman in MLB
During the offseason, Muncy was ranked as the No. 8 third baseman in MLB for the 2024 season, his same spot on the list when entering 2023. Prior to that, he was ranked as a top-five first baseman from 2019-2022.
Muncy hit .212/.333/.475 with 17 doubles, one triple, 36 home runs, 105 RBI, 95 runs scored and 85 walks last season. His 14.7% walk rate ranked fifth in baseball, two slots behind Shohei Ohtani.
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