Max Muncy In Dodgers Lineup After Hit By Pitch

Prior to the Los Angeles Dodgers suffering a fifth walk-off loss in their last 15 road games, there was some concern with Max Muncy getting hit by a pitch in the eighth inning.

Joey Lucchesi’s 92.2 mph sinker hit Muncy on his right forearm, which he clutched at while slowly walking down the first-base line. He was checked on by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and a trainer before initially remaining in the game.

But Miguel Rojas then entered at third base in the bottom of the eighth, though Roberts told reporters after the game that Muncy was removed for precautionary reasons. He began to deal with some stiffness and there was concern it could impact throwing.

An X-ray on Muncy’s forearm came back negative, and he is in the Dodgers lineup for Saturday’s game.

Muncy has already spent two separate stints on the injured list this season, though in both cases managing to avoid a worst-case scenario.

That didn’t appear likely when Michael A. Taylor slid into Muncy’s left knee on July 2. Muncy was diagnosed with a bone bruise and wound up returning one month later.

The 35-year-old then played in just eight games before landing back on the IL because of a right oblique strain. The nature of that injury typically lends to an extended period missed, which was the case for Muncy last year with a similar issue.

But he was out just under one month, in part due to the oblique strain being more mild than Muncy’s injury last season that also entailed some trouble with his ribcage.

Dodgers lineup

DH: Shohei Ohtani
SS: Mookie Betts
1B: Freddie Freeman
3B: Max Muncy
RF: Teoscar Hernández
LF: Michael Conforto
CF: Andy Pages
2B: Miguel Rojas
C: Ben Rortvedt

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