PHOENIX -- The Dodgers may have been walked off in their finale at Chase Field, but the uncertainty surrounding Max Muncy's status may cut deeper than the loss.
Muncy exited Thursday night's 3-2 walk-off loss to the D-backs after colliding with D-backs first baseman Ildemaro Vargas in the fifth inning. The play, where Muncy beat Vargas to the bag for a two-out infield single, caused both players to exit the game.
The Dodgers announced that Muncy exited due to shortness of breath and was being evaluated for a concussion -- which the team is optimistic he did not sustain. Muncy will sit for Friday’s series opener against the Angels.
Muncy, who was hitting .254 with an .860 OPS, had been one of the Dodgers' steadiest hitters through the first two months and change. He entered Thursday with a 140 wRC+, tied with Andy Pages for the second-highest mark among qualified Dodgers behind Shohei Ohtani (161).
The potential loss of Muncy would be difficult to swallow, as L.A. learned last year.
Last July, Muncy sustained a bone bruise in his left knee following a collision at third base that landed him on the injured list for a month. Muncy's IL stint coincided with a major offensive swoon for L.A. where the team ranked 30th in the Majors with 88 runs scored.
Muncy provides a quality that's tough to replace in the heart of the Dodgers' order. Not only is he an impact bat, but he also sees a lot of pitches and sets the table for the hitters behind him. L.A. scuffled without him last year, and getting by without him this year would be no easier, especially with Kiké Hernández and Teoscar Hernández both on the IL.