Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star third baseman Max Muncy, who hasn’t played since May 15, isn’t making great progress from his oblique injury.
Muncy was initially expected to take a minimum stint on the injured list, but just hasn’t gotten better. It’s now been almost a month since Muncy last played, and he remains without a timetable for a return.
Muncy spoke to Foul Territory on Tuesday and provided another unfortunate injury update.
“We’re hanging in there,” Muncy said. “Being hurt is probably the worst thing ever. Not progressing as fast as I would like, but with an oblique, it’s just you have to give it time, there’s nothing you could really do. I think an oblique is possibly the worst position player injury you could have because there’s nothing you could do to strengthen it, help it get better, or help it heal quickly. You just have to sit there and wait.”
Oblique injuries are always tricky, as some could heal in a couple weeks and some could take months. While the Dodgers expressed initial optimism in Muncy’s timetable, unfortunately, he just hasn’t bounced back.
Muncy was having another solid year for L.A. In 40 games, he was slashing .223/.323/.475 with nine home runs and 28 RBIs. He was providing much-needed slug in the middle of the lineup, and his presence has greatly been missed.
The Dodgers went 25-15 when Muncy was in the lineup this season, and averaged 5.4 runs per game. When Muncy isn’t in the lineup, the Dodgers have gone 16-11 and have averaged just 4.2 runs per game.
While Muncy remains out, a combination of Chris Taylor, Kiké Hernández, and Miguel Rojas will continue playing third baseman. Additionally, Miguel Vargas will continue to get an extended run at the MLB level.
