Dodgers' Max Muncy Reveals How Close He Was to Needing Season-Ending Knee Surgery

Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy has been on the 10-day injured list since July 3 and is expected to miss at least six weeks with a bone bruise, though his injury could have turned out much more severe.

Chicago White Sox outfielder Michael A. Taylor attempted to steal third on July 2, sliding headfirst into the base, colliding into Muncy's knee. He spent a few minutes on the ground before a trainer helped him up and off the field.

“If the timing was just a millisecond different either way, you’re probably looking at surgery, and done for a long time," Muncy was told.

Muncy, after a slow start to the season, had been unstoppable at the plate, posting a .989 OPS since turning his season around on April 30, when he hit his first home run of the season. The veteran was putting together a strong case to be an All-Star reserve after San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado won the fan vote, however his injury took him out of contention for the Midsummer Classic.

The Dodgers have struggled without their starting third baseman, and lost seven straight after their series against the White Sox.

Miguel Rojas has handled most of the time at third base since Muncy's move to the IL and has surpassed expectations since taking over. He has a 145 wRC+ since July 3, and has an OPS of .885 in that time. He also has the most home runs on the team since then, tied with Michael Conforto, Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani with two.

Tommy Edman also has gotten a few starts at third base in Muncy's absence.

The Dodgers still have at least a month without Muncy, and hope Rojas and Edman can continue to step up and produce from the bottom of the lineup. Despite their hiccup to end the first half, the Dodgers are still in prime position to stay at the top of the division throughout the second half of the season. They'll try to return to winning ways against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday at 6:10 p.m. PT.