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Max Muncy shared some insight into his mindset after being hit by a pitch on his right hand/wrist area during the eighth inning of the Dodgers’ series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers, per staff at Dodger Blue. Muncy was in considerable pain and underwent manual testing on the field before being removed from the game. Initial X-rays came back negative, but what gave Muncy early confidence that the injury wasn’t severe was the absence of nausea — a sensation he apparently associates with more serious damage. That’s a telling detail from a guy who’s been through his share of painful moments on the diamond.

Muncy has been a cornerstone of this Dodgers lineup since arriving from Oakland back in 2018. The left-handed slugger has posted some monster seasons in Dodger Blue, including his breakout 35-homer campaign in 2019 and his continued contributions as one of the most patient hitters in baseball. He’s always been the kind of guy who grinds at-bats, works deep counts, and makes pitchers pay when they leave something over the plate. But he’s also dealt with injuries that have tested his durability — most notably the UCL damage to his left elbow suffered in the 2021 NLCS that wiped out his entire 2022 first half. When you’ve experienced that kind of pain, you develop a pretty reliable internal barometer for how bad something is. Muncy knowing the difference between a painful-but-manageable HBP and something more serious based on his body’s reaction says a lot about the experience he carries.

The fact that Muncy could assess the situation that quickly on the field is reassuring. Getting hit on the hand or wrist is one of the scariest moments for any hitter — that’s your livelihood right there. Hands and wrists are full of small bones that don’t always show fractures on initial imaging, so the negative X-ray was the first piece of good news. Muncy adding that he didn’t feel nauseous, which he clearly views as a red flag from past experience, provides another layer of confidence that we might dodge a significant absence here.

For the Dodgers, keeping Muncy in the lineup matters. He’s one of our most experienced bats, and his ability to play both first and third base gives Dave Roberts flexibility in how he constructs the lineup on any given night. Losing him for an extended stretch would force the front office to get creative, especially with the roster already navigating pitching injuries. The early signs point toward this being a day-to-day situation rather than an IL stint, and I’ll take that. We should know more in the coming days as any swelling subsides and the team potentially runs additional imaging. For now, Muncy’s own read on his body is the most encouraging sign we’ve gotten.

Source(s): Staff (Dodger Blue) | First reported: May 23, 2026 2:21 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers