The Los Angeles Dodgers had reason to worry after Max Muncy was hit on the left hand by a pitch during the first inning on Wednesday.
Muncy stayed in the game after being checked out by head athletic trainer Thomas Albert and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. He then came out of the game in the fourth inning when the Dodgers announced he sustained a left-hand contusion.
Muncy went for X-rays the following day, but the results provided the Dodgers with good news as they showed no breaks or anything alarming. The third baseman took two days off, but he returned to the lineup on Saturday.
The left-handed hitter singled in his first at-bat back in the lineup, which helped him clear some of the mental hurdles of stepping back into the box after getting hit, he said on SportsNet LA:
“It was good. I would say it’s a good day to get back in there against a lefty. The hardest thing after getting hit by a pitch, especially left on left, is it affects you mentally. I was able to get back in there, got the base hit, so it was a good day.”
Muncy finished the day 1-for-2 with two runs scored. The 33-year-old was once again hit by a pitch in the fourth inning, but this time it was near his upper back/shoulder area.
He remained in the game after being hit once again until the Dodgers made multiple substitutions in the sixth inning, following Muncy’s third at-bat of the game.
Overall in Cactus League play, Muncy is hitting .500 with a 1.470 on-base plus slugging in eight plate appearances, including one home run and two runs driven in.
Muncy projects to hit in the middle of the Dodgers lineup and should once again be a key piece of their offense, giving them 30 homer power with great plate discipline.
The left-handed slugger was named a finalist at third base for the National League Silver Slugger last year, but came up short as Austin Riley of the Atlanta Braves won at the position.
Max Muncy making strides on defense
After a poor season defensively, Muncy made it a key to improve at the hot corner. He reported to camp 15 pounds lighter, and he’s been moving better at his position.
The left side of the infield defense is one of the biggest concerns for the Dodgers this season with Gavin Lux struggling to field his position well so far, so Muncy providing some stability with his glove would go a long way.
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