Dodgers bench – Max Muncy left early Friday after being hit by a pitch from the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Los Angeles Dodgers did not include him in Saturday’s starting lineup. Miguel Rojas moved to second base with Santiago Espinal at third as Muncy said he’s “not feeling g
Max Muncy’s night with the Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t last long on Friday.
He was hit by pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers, and the exit early that followed quickly turned an ordinary road game into an overnight worry for Dodgers fans. The fear wasn’t just about whether he’d miss time—it was about how the wrist would hold up after the hit.
Ahead of the Saturday contest, the Dodgers rolled out their lineup and left Muncy out of the starting group entirely. Miguel Rojas took over at second base, while Santiago Espinal started at third.
Muncy. who has already been through plenty of big moments as a multiple World Series champion. addressed the injury after the game and made it clear he was still working through what he felt. “Not feeling great right now but it is a relief. We just gotta monitor the next couple days,” he said via a SportsNet LA postgame segment.
He explained why waiting matters. “Typically, especially in that area, the X-rays never come back positive immediately, it kind of forms a little bit.”
When he described where the pain was sharpest, the details were specific. “I’m pretty sure it hit half my wrist pad and half my wrist. That’s kind of what I was feeling.” He added that he had protective gear on at the time of the pitch. “So I think me deciding to wear that wrist guard last couple years. it might have saved my wrist. at least tonight. ” he said.
Saturday’s decision to keep him out of the starting lineup wasn’t just a routine precaution. It landed after Muncy’s first discomfort had already been loud enough to end his at-bats early. and it came with the next few days framed by the way he talked about monitoring—especially in the weeks after wrist injuries can be slow to show up clearly.
On the season side, Muncy has appeared in 48 games in 2026. He has 163 swings at the plate, 42 hits, and has driven in 19 runners off RBIs, scoring 36 runs so far.
The Dodgers also have recent proof of what they could be missing if the wrist doesn’t cooperate. Between May 16 and May 20, Muncy hit three times in that span—three solo homers—against the Anaheim Angels and the National League West rival San Diego Padres.
As the Dodgers get set for Saturday with Rojas at second and Espinal at third, the question remains straightforward and urgent for LA: how quickly does that wrist settle, and what will the next couple days reveal?
Max Muncy Los Angeles Dodgers Milwaukee Brewers MLB injury scare wrist guard Miguel Rojas Santiago Espinal Saturday lineup