Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy expressed relief Thursday after an MRI revealed no structural damage in his left knee, but he is expected to miss about six weeks.
The Dodgers put Muncy on the injured list with a bone bruise.
“It was obviously amazing hearing the news that nothing was torn, nothing was ripped,” said Muncy, who was walking gingerly. “That was obviously a huge sigh of relief for me, but it still sounds like too long of a time in my head.”
Muncy left in the sixth inning Wednesday night after a collision with Chicago White Sox center fielder Michael A. Taylor, who was attempting a steal. Muncy took a throw from catcher Will Smith and tagged out Taylor.
Muncy sprawled on his back as a Dodgers trainer came out to check on him. He had to be helped off the field and was barely able to put any weight on his left leg.
“It was tough news, but it was also great news in terms of when you look at the play and just the injury that could have happened,” Muncy said.
A White Sox trainer checked on Taylor, who suffered a bruised back and left the game. Taylor cleared concussion protocol and was still sore a day later. He was not in Chicago’s lineup Thursday night.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he was “very relieved” at Muncy’s test results and deliberately didn’t watch the gruesome replay.
Miguel Rojas started in Muncy’s place Thursday in the series finale. Enrique Hernandez will play third Friday against Houston. Utilityman Tommy Edman will begin taking grounders to prepare to join the platoon.
The injuries to Muncy and Taylor occurred just before Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw got his 3,000th career strikeout against Vinny Capra to end the inning. There was a brief delay before Muncy and Taylor left the field.
“The first thought that was really going through my head was as I’m laying on the ground was, ‘Dang, I have to make Kersh sit there and think about stuff right now.’ I really was not happy about that,” Muncy said.
“I’m in the X-ray room and heard the crowd roar and I was kind of like, ‘Man, missed it.’ Honestly, that was the most heartbreaking thing to me.”
Muncy is hitting .250 with 13 home runs and 55 RBIs in 81 games this season.
The Dodgers recalled outfielder Esteury Ruiz from Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he batted .292 with 8 homers, 37 RBIs and 38 stolen bases in 66 games. He was acquired in April from the Athletics in exchange for minor league pitcher Carlos Duran after being designated for assignment March 30. He is expected to play this weekend.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
