Having lost six of their last 10 games, Dodgers fans received some much-needed good news following their team’s 5-2 win over the NL Central third-place Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Monday.
Nearly three weeks after 34-year-old Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy sustained a left knee bone bruise in a collision with White Sox outfielder Michael A. Taylor on July 2, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Monday that the Midland, Texas native and fifth-round draft pick in 2012 by the (then) Oakland Athletics out of Baylor University could return to action this weekend when the Dodgers take on the American League East fourth-place Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in Central Florida.
“I would say it’s a slim chance,” Roberts answered when asked if Muncy could return earlier than initially expected. “The main thing for us, even where we’re at as an offensive unit, [is] to make sure he gets back and does the whole process of the rehab and not try to cut that short because of where we’re at,” Roberts added.
The popular Dodgers infielder is expected to join the team’s Triple-A affiliate Oklahoma City Comets on Tuesday, where he will to begin his rehab assignment. Roberts said that the plan is for Muncy to get three at-bats and play third base for the Comets on Tuesday, although it has yet to be determined how many rehab games he will need before returning to the 62-45 NL West first-place Dodgers.
While there’s a “slim chance” that Muncy could return to the team this weekend in Tampa Bay for the final leg of their current three-city road trip, it seems far more likely (and practical) that it will happen when the Dodgers return home next week.
As fans Dodgers fans painfully know, Roberts’ team entered play on Monday with a combined OPS of .688 OPS since Muncy landed on the IL, which ranked 27th among major league teams during that span. After his slow start to the 2025 season, Muncy emerged as one of L.A.’s steadiest hitters from April 30 on, during which he hit .287 with a .989 OPS, 13 home runs, and 51 RBIs.
(SportsNet LA)
Although Muncy will likely have some lingering effects of his bone bruise upon his return, he is expected to play the hot corner every day when he does.
“Like a lot of injuries where you get banged up, you’re not playing, to then do the up-downs of the innings, and kind of go through that while you’re getting your legs back,” Roberts explained. “I think he’s healthy, I think he’s strong, but just kind of being a baseball player again, I think that’s something we want to make sure that it doesn’t affect any other part of his game,” he added.
Suffice to say, even though the Dodgers still have a 4.0 game lead over the NL West second-place San Diego Padres and an 8.0 game lead over the third-place San Francisco Giants, getting Mad Max back will be a huge boost for the Dodgers in their pursuit of repeating as World Series Champions.
Play Ball!
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