Dodgers' Max Muncy's Hand Injury Diagnosed as Contusion After HBP vs. Rangers

Just a few days into spring training, the Los Angeles Dodgers already faced an injury scare.

The team announced, via The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya, that Max Muncy suffered a hand contusion and is day-to-day after being hit by a pitch in Wednesday's game against the Texas Rangers. Muncy will undergo an X-ray on Thursday.

He initially stayed in the game and played a few innings on defense before being pulled prior to his second at-bat.

Los Angeles signed Muncy to a two-year contract worth $24 million through 2025 in November. He played the 2023 season on a one-year deal and delivered a strong campaign. He appeared in 135 games and tied a career-high with 36 home runs and set a new career-high with 105 RBI while hitting .212./.333/.475.

The 33-year-old suffered a serious elbow injury in the last game of the 2021 regular season. He did not require surgery despite tearing his ulnar collateral ligament. However, he has not hit over .250 since 2019.

Prior to his injury three seasons ago, Muncy put together one of the best years of his career, leading the Dodgers in 2021 with 36 home runs, 94 RBI and a .368 on-base percentage. He was the fourth-leading home run hitter in the National League and earned his second All-Star selection.

Since being called up by Los Angeles in 2018, Muncy has been one of the team's most consistent sluggers, hitting 35 or more home runs four times in six seasons.

Muncy batted .318 with one home run and six RBI in the 2020 World Series to help lead Los Angeles to its first world title since 1988.

If Muncy is forced to miss time, the Dodgers offense will still feature a lineup filled with stars like Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts.