LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered a major blow this week as third baseman Max Muncy, a key All-Star candidate, is expected to miss six weeks after suffering a bone bruise in his left knee during Wednesday night’s 4–0 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
The injury occurred in the first inning at third base, when Michael A. Taylor of the White Sox attempted a head-first slide into the bag. As Muncy reached down to apply the tag, Taylor’s helmet collided with his knee, twisting it awkwardly and sending the veteran infielder to the ground in visible pain.
After the game, the 33-year-old underwent imaging that revealed a bone bruise, but thankfully no ligament damage or structural issues. Still, the injury will sideline Muncy for over a month — a difficult pill to swallow for a player who had just found his rhythm at the plate.
“It was obviously amazing hearing the news that nothing was torn, nothing was ripped,” Muncy told reporters on Thursday. “But it still sounds like too long of a time in my head.”
Manager Dave Roberts shared similar feelings of relief and frustration:
“I think our hope is that it’s a sprain,” Roberts said postgame. “Obviously, for the next few days he’ll probably be down, but again, the MRI will show more. I haven’t seen a replay — I don’t want to see a replay.”
The timing couldn’t be worse. After a sluggish start to the 2025 season, Muncy had heated up in recent weeks, slashing .333/.454/.690 over his past 30 games. He now holds a .250 average with 13 home runs and 55 RBIs through 81 games — solid production for a power-hitting corner infielder.
His presence in the lineup had helped stabilize the Dodgers’ offense, which currently ranks among the best in the National League. Los Angeles sits at 55–32, leading the NL West by 8.5 games.
With Muncy now placed on the 10-day injured list, the Dodgers recalled Esteury Ruiz from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Known for his speed and aggressive base-running, Ruiz has 38 steals this season in the minors, though he lacks Muncy’s power at the plate.
In Muncy’s absence, the Dodgers will rely on a mix of Miguel Rojas, Enrique Hernández, and Tommy Edman to cover third base — a stopgap solution as they hope for a healthy return before the postseason push.
While the team avoided worst-case scenarios with the diagnosis, Muncy’s absence leaves a noticeable gap. His leadership, versatility, and power will be missed — especially as the Dodgers gear up for the second half of the season.
The injury also came during a historic moment, as Clayton Kershaw recorded his 3,000th career strikeout just minutes after Muncy left the field.
For now, Muncy begins a six-week recovery, determined to return stronger for the stretch run.