Dodgers slugger Max Muncy has been out since mid-May due to an oblique strain but doesn’t sound closer to returning than he was at the time of his original placement on the injured list. Muncy told the Dodgers beat yesterday that he recently experienced a setback in his rehab when he felt pain in his ribcage while swinging a bat (X link via Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times). He’s currently shut down from all baseball activity, and there’s no timetable for his return.
Muncy, 33, got out to a typical start in 2024, hitting for a low average that was largely offset by a glut of walks and plenty of extra-base hits. He’s batting .223/.323/.475 with nine homers and eight doubles through 167 trips to the plate this season — about 24% better than league-average production, by measure of wRC+. The slugger’s 12.6% walk rate is four percentage points north of average but nevertheless represents a career-low mark (excepting his 2015 season, when he received only 112 plate appearances in his initial call to the big leagues). Muncy’s 29.9% strikeout rate, meanwhile, is the highest of his career.
In Muncy’s absence, utilityman Enrique Hernandez has seen the bulk of the workload at third base. The offensive struggles that plagued Hernandez early in the season haven’t yet subsided, however. He’s hitting .171/.209/.244 since Muncy landed on the 10-day IL and just .198/.255/.278 on the season overall. Veterans Miguel Rojas and Chris Taylor have both seen fleeting time at the hot corner as well. The Dodgers have had plenty of struggles from the bottom-third of their lineup throughout the season even without Muncy’s injury, and dedicating regular time to Hernandez in lieu of Muncy hasn’t helped matters.
Poor production from the lower portion of the lineup is a flaw of this Dodgers club but hasn’t prevented the team from building a comfortable lead in the National League West. Buoyed by massive offensive performances from the star-studded top of the lineup featuring Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith and Teoscar Hernandez, the Dodgers hold a lead of 6.5 games over the second-place Padres, tying them with the Phillies for the second-largest division lead in all of Major League Baseball. (The Brewers’ seven-game lead in the NL Central is currently the largest division lead in MLB.)
Who will the Dodgers buy now?
You mean trade for, like all teams do? Some even more than the dodgers, some with worse records…
If the Cardinals are out of it and Arenado is playing a bit better and Muncy isn’t healthy by then I could see how a deal would make sense. Lot of ifs but Arenado grew up a Dodgers fan and he wants to win. I can tell you he looks like he’s in a bit of a decline defensively but still good. He needs a hitting coach to help him get his swing right. Still been a 2 win player in 2024 and I believe he would play better if he was playing for a good team. Cardinals could use Muncy. The rest of the deal who knows.
At this point, I think Arenado would welcome a trade out of STL. He doesn’t seem to be mentally in the game at times. I think he is carrying his offensive woes into the field. And I don’t think he’s getting the coaching he needs.
Yes showme agreed all of it.
An injured Muncy won’t be part of any deal! A Dodger’s deal for Arenado would be for prospects. If the Cardinals are sellers, then they are also rebuilders and will start acquiring prospects for the future.
I don’t think the Cardinals want to rebuild. This isn’t my opinion just what I believe there’s is. Muncy is a good fit because he can either take over for Arenado or Goldschmidt. And I don’t see how Muncy fits on the Dodgers if they had Arenado.
Cardinals missed that boat last year predictably because the “Cardinal way” does not allow a fire sale. They were begging for him but Mozeliak is incompetent and wanted Bobby Miller. Arenado is a shell of his former self and the Dodgers will not want to take on that contract. Great job, Mo. Enjoy him until 2028!
Arenado is a perfect fit for the Dodgers and he was even before we heard about Muncy’s setback because he could always be moved back to 2B to get Lux out of the lineup. But I doubt the Cardinals consider themselves out of it just yet. Maybe next month. Either way it’s a salary dump for St. Louis. That contract is under water.
Yeah this would only happen if the Cardinals are out of it like last year. Even at 500 I don’t think they will sell.
I think Muncy makes sense for the Cardinals, especially if he can’t be counted on for 2024 because that would lower the price to acquire him.
Muncy and Taylor for Arenado and Kittredge. I would do something like that. Taking Taylor’s contract would help balance the salary out. Arenado is owed 64 million for his 2025 through 2027 from the Cardinals so that would be his salary to the Dodgers the Rockies are paying some additional money.
Right. The Cards are showing signs of life so most likely they are hanging onto Arenado for now. Worth keeping an eye on that situation though. The fit for the Dodgers is just too good to ignore. Without complicating the deal the price to the Dodgers is probably straight up for Arenado’s contract and nothing more. In fact they likely get some cash with the deal.
Yeah I think we basically agree on Arenados value. He’s not worth quite what the Cardinals owe him but it’s fairly close. I really think he would play better if he were dealt but his swing needs work.
Blue: yeah let’s get Lux out of the lineup, now that he is beginning to round into form again. He is already more valuable than Muncy so let’s get rid of him.
Yeah, he’s gone from pretty terrible to almost mediocre. Talk about your low bars. His splits against LHP are ghastly. I didn’t say anything about getting rid of him but he obviously needs to put into situations where he can perform. You know, like when he was moved from SS to 2B? Such a radical idea. I’m not sure how you get Lux being more valuable than Muncy (OPS+ 59 vs. 126) but with Muncy out indefinitely this team needs to figure out a new plan. Lux also seemingly has an option remaining so there’s another possibility. More radical thinking!
Would the Blue Ballers be interested in Jaimer Candelario from the Reds at the deadline? Maybe a Montas and Candelario package? What would they give the Reds for those guys? It would strengthen their rotation and bolster their offense as he (Candy) seems to be getting into a grove lately.
There’s a setback in the Dodgers trying to finally end their World Series drought.
Yeah, 4 years feels like an eternity….
@Jerry Hairston Jr’s Toupee
*
In your own mind….
you have a shortage of original thoughts.
This news came out days ago….
Time to call up Andre Lipcius.
Not opposed to it as a Dodgers fan, but are they really doing to DFA Taylor for this move?
Bring back Justin T. Could be had on the cheap from Toronto?
I think they may prefer someone who can play the field.
Yep, pretty much a DH but has logged a good dozen games in the field. Some at 3rd, some at 1st.
Sentimentality says yes, practicality says no. JT probably isn’t going be an everyday position player and he can’t stay in this lineup any other way.
Guys. This article puts a bullseye on the Dodgers hitting concern. IE. lack of production from the bottom of order. JT has an 800 plus OPS in the playoffs. And that includes 21 + 22 when he layed a post season egg.
JT has been there. Doesn’t feel pressured at plate. Will get his hacks in. Either eat the 8+/- mil left on his deal or maybe send a low A ball level guy to Toronto with Toronto eating salary.
Do it Blue.
LA fans know JT. A lot of us were heartbroken when the Dodgers didn’t sign him back and the player kind of let on he felt the same way too. But the problem is still the same: he isn’t an everyday solution at 3B anymore and the DH spot is kind of blocked.
Fair enough BlueSkies_LA. Point taken. Cheers.
He probably has a hernia
Got too crazy with the Ozempic.
Fleet up Austin Gauthier…
Max got the munchies
No need to make a move yet with the lead they have but I think Kike is the worst choice to run out there for the time being. Give Taylor the reps to make the DFA decision obvious one way or another, or see what Vargas has.
“Meanwhile” is improperly used in this article. As a conjunctive adverb, it should start the sentence instead of interrupting its flow and separated by commas.