UPDATE (June 15, 4:15 p.m. PT): Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts clarified Max Muncy does not have a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, but a mild strain. Nevertheless, Muncy isn’t expected to be back in the Dodgers lineup until Saturday at the earliest.
Max Muncy was out of the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup Wednesday night for a second consecutive game and figures to miss at least two more games after an MRI revealed a Grade 2 left hamstring strain.
“I think for us right now, it’s to kind of play it symptomatically,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I know he did some defensive work. Right now we’re not going to make a decision on putting him on the IL. I think where we sit here today, the hope is he’ll be in there on Saturday. But that could change if it gets better, or if we have to reassess.”
Although Muncy is not available and the Dodgers are left to play with a short bench, Roberts downplayed concern.
“Where we’re at, the versatility of the bench, I don’t think we’re pressed right now,” he said. “But once we get to Friday and thinking about days that we don’t want to lose as far as backdating, we’ll probably make a decision at that point.”
Muncy sustained the injury while running to first base in his final at-bat of the series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies. It’s the second time in roughly two weeks he’s dealt with a left hamstring issue, though the trouble at the end of May was only a cramp and in a different area.
“It’s lower, it’s right behind the knee,” Roberts explained of Muncy’s hamstring strain. “Same leg, but it’s not the same injury.”
Muncy was initially expected to undergo an MRI in May but reported enough progress in recovering from the cramp, so it was bypassed and he returned to the lineup after missing just one game.
Why won’t Dodgers put Max Muncy on injured list?
Roberts acknowledged the Dodgers had some “temptation” to immediately place Muncy on the 10-day injured list, particularly given the nature of a hamstring strain, but they believe exercising patience is best.
“Doing that right now, I think would be a little overreacting. Today is much better than it was yesterday, so we can take it day to day and see where we’re at come Friday,” Roberts said.
Furthermore, because of upcoming off days, Muncy would miss eight games regardless of whether the Dodgers placed him on the injured list Wednesday or wait until Friday.
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