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LOS ANGELES – Max Muncy walked through foul territory at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday afternoon, chatting with his teammates while wearing a blue T-shirt, black pants and a bulky brace on his left elbow, one who suffered a horrific injury in a close game at first base in Sunday’s regular season finale.
Muncy’s ulnar collateral ligament is intact and therefore will not require surgery. But the Los Angeles Dodgers’ first goal won’t be available for Wednesday’s National League game against the St. Louis Cardinals or for the ensuing divisional series against the San Francisco Giants, should LA advance. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has said he is “still trying to save a silver lining” for a comeback in late October, but that also seems far-fetched. Muncy is hopeful, too, for what it’s worth.
“I have to be,” he said. “If I don’t have hope, then it’s going to be a tough few weeks for me.”
The Dodgers, who are coming off a franchise-record 106 regular season wins, will also be sailing through those playoffs without their longtime ace. Clayton Kershaw, a free agent at the end of the season, suffered a recurrence of elbow and forearm pain that deprived him of more than two months earlier this season, but Roberts said his UCL was also healthy. Tommy John’s surgery, which would force Kershaw to miss the entire 2022 season, is “not on the table,” Roberts said.
Despite Kershaw’s absence and the need for wild play, the Dodgers’ pitch is preparing well for a potential NLDS. Walker Buehler and Julio Urias would line up to kick off Games 1 and 2, respectively, on Friday and Saturday, and Max Scherzer, who will face Adam Wainwright on Wednesday, could return to a normal rest in Game 3 on Monday.
The Dodgers, of course, have to get there first. And before that, they have to decide who will replace Muncy at first base. Albert Pujols, Cody Bellinger and Matt Beaty all took ground balls to position during practice on Tuesday. Bellinger, a left-handed hitter who has the field advantage over a right-hander like Wainwright, will likely be in the lineup anyway. If he starts on first base, the Dodgers would use Gavin Lux or Chris Taylor – both recently recovering from neck injuries – in the middle.
But Scherzer’s flying ball tendencies could make Roberts more willing to use Bellinger’s defense in the middle, leaving either Pujols or Beaty. Pujols, a dominant force for the Cardinals in his first 11 years in the big leagues, has started just three games since early September and has thrived mostly against lefties all season. But he has an OPS of 1.483 against fastballs thrown no harder than 90 mph, a potential adjustment against Wainwright’s average fastball of 89 mph.
Muncy was a legitimate MVP contender for most of this season and finished at 0.249 / 0.368 / 0.527 stick with 36 homers and 94 RBIs in 144 games. He made his second all-star team in the process. Regardless of who replaces him, the Dodgers will miss his left-handed stick and elite plate discipline in the middle of their roster.
“He’s the cornerstone of our offense,” said Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner. “The batting quality is definitely going to be missed. But we still have a pretty dynamic formation, and I think the best way to look at it is that it’s an opportunity for someone to step up and take some good. blows for us. “
Muncy recently texted his teammates letting them know he will be with them every step of the way in the playoffs, regardless of his availability on the pitch. He said he first suffered from a dislocated elbow on play, when Milwaukee Brewers’ Jace Peterson crossed his left arm on a wide throw from Dodgers wide receiver Will Smith, but came back. as he rolled on the earth.
“It was a very scary moment,” Muncy said. “I really felt like my arm wasn’t there.”
Muncy will learn more about the impending rehabilitation process over the next few days. He found himself constantly watching the video of the play. He keeps hearing a distinct noise.
“I hear it too much – my elbow pops,” Muncy said. “Not a lot of fond memories of what should have been a great day.”
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