LOS ANGELES — If the Dodgers are going to recover first place in the National League West, they’re going to have to do it without Max Muncy for at least the next few weeks.
Muncy was scratched from Wednesday’s starting lineup against the Angels with pain in his right side. He underwent an MRI on Thursday and was diagnosed with a Grade 1 oblique strain.
Muncy missed three months with a rib injury last season but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said this appears to be “a little bit more on the mild side.”
Muncy was placed on the injured list on Friday and the Dodgers added utility infielder Buddy Kennedy. Kennedy was designated for assignment by the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this week after playing two games for them. He also played four games for the Philadelphia Phillies this season.
“You kind of take it week to week and see when he can start baseball activities again to get him back,” Roberts said of Muncy. “I don’t think anyone expects it to be season-ending, but hopefully it’s sooner than later.”
Muncy played just eight games after returning from a knee injury before injuring himself while hitting in the batting cage on Wednesday. During his 25-game absence due to the bone bruise in his left knee, the Dodgers’ offense took a tumble. They averaged just 3.5 runs per game while batting .217 as a team and going 10-15.
“It’s certainly a tough loss,” Roberts said. “I think guys just have to continue to perform to their abilities. It’s hard to kind of backfill for Max, what he brings as far as the plate discipline, the slug, the on-base, all that stuff. I feel good about our lineup, the guys that we have. They just have to go out there and take good at-bats. That’s kind of all we can do right now.”
Roberts said Kennedy and Alex Freeland will get most of the playing time at third base in Muncy’s absence. Kennedy has hit .193 in 60 major-league games spread over parts of four seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, Phillies and Blue Jays. The switch-hitting Freeland hit .176 in his first 12 games since being promoted from Triple-A while playing third and second.
RELIEVER ROUNDUP
Left-hander Tanner Scott faced hitters for the first time Friday since going on the IL with a forearm strain. He threw 22 pitches to Alex Call, Dalton Rushing and Justin Dean and said everything felt “good.”
“Everything felt good,” Scott said. “That’s probably the biggest thing. Everything has felt good coming out. My mechanics have felt good. I just want to keep rolling with it.”
Scott said he has been pain-free since shortly after receiving a cortisone injection following his July 21 appearance when he felt a “stinging” sensation in his forearm.
Right-hander Kirby Yates could be the first of the Dodgers’ three injured relievers to return. He is scheduled to throw to hitters for the second time this week on Saturday and could go on a minor-league rehabilitation assignment soon after that.
Right-hander Michael Kopech started his rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday and struggled with his command. He gave up two hits, two stolen bases, walked two and threw a wild pitch and was charged with three runs in two-thirds of an inning. He threw 24 pitches, only 10 strikes.
Kopech is on the 60-day IL and not eligible to come back until August 27.
Right-hander Roki Sasaki started his rehab assignment in that same game with OKC. The Dodgers hoped he would pitch three innings but he gave up back-to-back singles to start the third and was pulled from the game after 41 pitches. Sasaki faced 13 batters and gave up six hits (all singles), walked one and didn’t strike out anyone. Most troubling, his fastball velocity was back down to 93-94 after hitting 97 mph during his simulated game at Dodger Stadium last weekend.
“Once he gets back here in town, we’ll figure out when he pitches again,” Roberts said.
As for the diminished velocity from a pitcher who had been known to hit 100 mph, Roberts expressed some concern.
“I wouldn’t say worried, but the expectation is that he gets into the upper 90s,” Roberts said. “But it was his first one, and I want to talk to him personally to kind of get a little bit more background on that. But yeah, it was a little surprising.”
MORE INJURIES
Roberts offered little optimism about the Dodgers’ three injured position players – Tommy Edman, Kiké Hernandez and Hyeseong Kim – being ready to return soon.
Edman (ankle) has just started baseball activities. Kim (shoulder) hit against velocity in the batting cage but still has some discomfort in his shoulder and he “still has to go out on (a rehab) assignment.” Hernandez (elbow) has increased his activity in workouts but is not ready to return.
UP NEXT
Padres (RHP Dylan Cease 5-10, 4.52 ERA) at Dodgers (LHP Blake Snell, 2-1, 2.37 ERA), Saturday, 6:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM