LOS ANGELES — Dropped into the middle of a division title chase with three weeks remaining in the regular season, Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy finds himself in his comfort zone.
Muncy was activated to the roster Monday after missing nearly a month with an oblique injury. That came after he missed a month with a bone bruise in his ankle.
After losing five of six games to the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles, the Dodgers went into Monday’s game with a one-game lead on the San Diego Padres in the National League West. They could use a run producer for a lineup that staggers through periods of inconsistency.
Even with the team’s need for a jolt of offense, Muncy insists there is no undue pressure associated with his return.
“I’m happy to be back. It’s exciting,” said Muncy, who is batting .258 with a .389 on-base percentage and 17 home runs in 89 games. “I live to be out there. To come back and hopefully help this team win some games, get to come back, first game at home, that’s always a big deal to me. Get to play in front of our fans. And hopefully get everyone going.”
Using September to ramp up for the playoffs is a common occurrence for Muncy in his eight seasons with the Dodgers. To that end, Manager Dave Roberts did not hesitate to put his left-handed power hitter and walk machine into the cleanup spot for Monday night’s series opener against the Colorado Rockies.
“We’ve been waiting for this one for a long time, not to add any pressure to Max, but just kind of having his presence in the lineup, just taking the quality at-bat,” Roberts said. “Obviously adds length to our lineup, another left-handed hitter who can just do some (damage).”
Asked if he will be able to produce instantly, Muncy stopped short of making a promise. But he likes where he is physically.
“The body feels in a good spot,” Muncy said after a quick three-game rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he had two hits in seven at-bats with two walks. “Pretty much checked all the boxes I needed to check when I was down there. I was getting my swing off a bunch.”
Those checked boxes included swinging at full strength with no discomfort, experiencing a swing and a miss, and seeing how his side handles a checked swing.
“I accomplished all of those, and I felt like it was a big thing,” he said. “And it all felt good. There was no lingering side effects from any of it. And next-day soreness wasn’t really there.”
In a corresponding move, catcher Chucky Robinson was optioned back to Oklahoma City without playing in the two games when he was on the major league roster.
RESET MODE
With Muncy back and hitting in the heart of the order, Andy Pages was moved to the No. 8 spot of the lineup for just the 11th time this season and the second time since Aug. 9.
Pages has a hit in 10 of the past 12 games, but he is batting just .211 over the last 22 games since Aug. 13 and has one home run over the past 10 contests.
“I think that certainly the last 30 days, the way Andy’s been swinging, and kind of scuffling (it can help) to kind of let the game come to him a little bit,” Roberts said. “I think it is a better spot for him. I think it’s good.”
ON THEIR WAY
Left-hander Alex Vesia was not activated from his own oblique injury as expected on Monday, but he is likely to rejoin the bullpen on Tuesday.
Utility man Tommy Edman (ankle) returned from a rehab assignment Monday evening and is expected to be activated Wednesday.
Vesia, who has a 2.75 ERA in 59 relief appearances this season, last pitched for the Dodgers on Aug. 21. Edman, who is batting .228 with 13 home runs, last played Aug. 3.
GETTING THERE
Right-hander Brock Stewart said a second cortisone shot had him feeling much better after a bout with shoulder inflammation, allowing him to throw a bullpen on Saturday. He will have another bullpen Tuesday and face hitters Friday before a short rehab assignment.
Stewart wobbled to a 4.91 ERA in four appearances after he was acquired from the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline. It was the club’s lone bullpen piece added as July came to a close.
The Dodgers hope Stewart can return to the level that led him to a 2.38 ERA in 39 relief appearances with the Twins this season.
“I would love to help the team right now,” Stewart said. “… But I still have to focus on myself since I’m not out of the woods yet. Even. Healthy and active it’s still one day at a time.”
ALSO
Roberts said he is operating under the assumption that right-handed reliever Brusdar Graterol will not return for the regular season but has not officially ruled out an appearance in the postseason. … Asked about Shohei Ohtani’s next start on the mound, Roberts said it would be in San Francisco over the weekend before amending that and saying nothing official has been determined. … Catcher Will Smith (hand) was available off the bench Monday and could return to the starting lineup Tuesday after not playing since Wednesday in Pittsburgh.
UP NEXT
Rockies (RHP German Marquez, 3-12, 6.19 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Emmet Sheehan, 5-3, 3.59 ERA), Tuesday, 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM