Just as the Los Angeles Dodgers were beginning to find their footing with a roster close to full strength, Max Muncy and Cody Bellinger both were removed from Friday’s series opener against the Texas Rangers due to injury.
Muncy experienced right side tightness one pitch before hitting a home run in the first inning, and Bellinger limped as he got out of the way of a ball in at his feet one pitch before an RBI single in the fifth.
Neither player was in the lineup Saturday, which had already been a scheduled night off for Bellinger. Despite the left-handed sluggers not playing, the Dodgers remained hopeful, if not encouraged.
“Both guys feel better. I would say Cody probably feels better than Muncy does,” manager Dave Roberts said. “My goal is to have Cody in the lineup [Sunday]. I think with Max, it’s kind of treat him up, see if it continues to get better — the stiffness hopefully starts to dissipate a little bit — and I think we’ll just know more as time goes on.
“But I think where Cody’s at, we’re in a pretty good spot.”
If and when Bellinger is back in the lineup, he could receive some time at first base because of Muncy’s injury and in being cautious with the hamstring.
“He’s a big part of what we’re trying to do. He feels good, the training staff feels good as far as where he’s at, but certainly if we can take some mileage off at first base, it’s probably only helpful,” Roberts acknowledged.
Dodgers place Muncy on IL
Prior to experiencing side tightness, Muncy already was dealing with right ankle trouble since last week. Roberts said the two two issues have prompted the Dodgers to consider placing Muncy on the 10-day injured list.
“There’s a thought. The ankle, I think certainly is playable. With this, we just felt if we give it a couple days and then we can re-assess if we have to make that retro move,” Roberts said.
Then one hour before first pitch, the Dodgers indeed put Muncy on the IL due to a right oblique strain. Luke Raley was recalled for his fourth stint with the team this year.
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