Ahead of their biggest series of the season, the Dodgers suffered another significant injury blow.
Third baseman Max Muncy was placed on the injured list with a Grade 1 right oblique strain ahead of the team’s pivotal divisional matchup against the San Diego Padres.
The Dodgers are hopeful Muncy’s injury — which manager Dave Roberts said was similar to, but more mild, than the oblique and rib problem that sidelined him for much of last year — won’t be season ending.
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However, Muncy will be out for at least several weeks, with Roberts offering no firm timetable beyond that.
In a corresponding move, the Dodgers claimed infielder Buddy Kennedy off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays.
The last time the Dodgers lost Muncy, to a knee injury in early July that kept him out for about a month, their offense cratered.
Before that point, the team had led the majors in scoring. But over the 25 games he missed, they ranked last.
That sequence served as a reminder of Muncy’s importance to the team. Even after a slow start this year, he was hitting .258 with 17 home runs and 64 RBIs in 89 games.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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