Dodgers activate Max Muncy from injured list, but also put Tommy Edman on the shelf
Muncy has been out since July 2, missing nearly five weeks with a bone bruise in his knee after a collision on a tag play during a game against the Chicago White Sox. The veteran slugger had been on a monthlong roll at the time of his injury, boosting his OPS to .832 with 13 homers and 55 RBIs.
Muncy returned more quickly than the initial six-week projection for his recovery. He was batting fifth and playing third base at Dodger Stadium when Los Angeles opened a homestand against the St. Louis Cardinals.
'He's put in a lot of work to get back with this timeline,' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. 'Getting him back lengthens and strengthens our lineup.'
But just when Muncy is healthy enough to return, the NL West-leading Dodgers are losing Edman after he aggravated his injured right ankle.
Edman left a game in Boston after apparently spraining his ankle while running the bases, and he came out of the Dodgers' game against Tampa Bay with pain from running the bases again.
'Don't know how long it's going to be, but I do think that he'll be back at some point,' Roberts said. 'The main thing is when he gets back, how we can make sure that this doesn't happen again. It's kind of a ligament strain, tendons, whatever it is.'
Edman also missed time in May with a sprained ankle. Last year's NLCS MVP is batting .228 with 12 homers and 44 RBIs this season.
Edman joins the lengthy list of Dodgers hoping to return soon from injuries to bolster the defending World Series champions' repeat bid. Los Angeles didn't make a bold move at the trade deadline last week, deciding to roll with its current roster while aiming for full health in October.
Utilityman Kiké Hernández went out with a sprained left elbow, and he isn't close to returning despite undergoing multiple procedures including platelet-rich plasma therapy and cortisone shots.
'We're not there yet, as far as worrying the season is lost' for Hernández, Roberts said.
Other injury news is more encouraging: Second baseman Hyeseong Kim is swinging a bat and taking grounders in anticipation of returning from left shoulder bursitis as early as this weekend, while reliever Tanner Scott will throw another batting practice session soon in his recovery from left elbow inflammation.
Roki Sasaki is still on the injured list on his bobblehead night. The rookie right-hander has been out since May 8 with a right shoulder injury, but he will throw three live innings after hitting mid-90s velocity in his most recent mound session. If his arm continues to feel good, he will get a minor league rehab assignment, Roberts said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Shohei Ohtani homers for 1,000th career hit (39)
Shohei Ohtani powers a two-run home run to center field for his 1,000 career hit in the bottom of the 3rd inning
USA Today
44 minutes ago
- USA Today
Should the Nets still keep tabs on Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo?
The Brooklyn Nets have made it clear since last offseason that they are trying to rebuild the franchise through the draft, as evidenced by their five picks in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. Brooklyn would presumably like to improve on its 26-56 record from the 2024-25 season so there is a possibility that general manager Sean Marks could keep his options open. While Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is more likely to remain in Milwaukee than he is to request a trade this offseason, there is some reporting that could give other teams reason to continue monitoring Antetokounmpo's status. "Sources tell me there's still nothing set in stone about whether Giannis Antetokounmpo will stay in Milwaukee or whether he will be leaving," ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Monday. The Bucks have made various moves to surround Antetokounmpo with the best team possible given the circumstances, but Charania's report could indicate that the "Greek Freak" isn't quite sold as of yet. With that being said, there is still a possibility that Antetokounmpo is dealt before the beginning of the 2025-26 campaign so let's take a look at what the Nets could do to potentially bring him to Brooklyn (h/t B/R's Grant Hughes): The Mock Trade Nets Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo. Bucks Receive: forward Michael Porter Jr., 2027 first-round pick (top-1 protected), 2027 first-round pick (via NYK), 2029 first-round pick (top-1 protected), 2029 first-round pick (via HOU), 2031 first-round pick (top-1 protected). Reason For/Against The Nets Doing This Trade Over the past couple of years, it has been made clear through a myriad of reports that the Nets are fond of Antetokounmpo and seemed to prefer trading for him as opposed to other players considered to be less than untouchable. Brian Lewis of the New York Post reported during the 2024-25 season that Brooklyn was still interested in Antetokounmpo so the latest reporting could potentially reinvigorate that interest. The argument for trading for Antetokounmpo is simple: the Nets would be getting one of the best players in the league and is still just 30 years old. Antetokounmpo would be far and away Brooklyn's best player heading into next season if this trade went through and he would still have players like Nic Claxton, Cam Thomas (assuming he re-signs), and Egor Demin to share the floor with. The argument for passing on trading for Antetokounmpo is also understandable given that the Nets would be giving up their own first-round picks in 2027, 2029, and 2031 as long as those picks aren't first overall. It's hard to see a team like the Bucks do this trade with any kind of protections on the picks especially since Antetokounmpo is still in MVP-level form and you wouldn't give up Antetokounmpo while not being able to draft the best available players over the next few seasons. Verdict While the idea of acquiring Antetokounmpo is understandably enticing to any team in the NBA, the Nets have to think about the long game during this rebuild. Getting Antetokounmpo would ensure that Brooklyn is going all in on a team that would presumably compete for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but is probably not good enough to compete for a championship. While Thomas, Claxton, and Demin are still young, Antetokounmpo is most likely towards the end of his prime, assuming that he doesn't age as well as Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James. Even if Antetokounmpo ages gracefully, he has three years left on his contract with the third year being a player option. So, the Nets would presumably have two years to convince Antetokounmpo to not only want a trade, but to sign another contract that would take him through the end of his career. Marks has already gone all in once during his tenure as GM and Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving did not work out for a variety of reasons, some outside of anyone's control. Marks said at the end of the season that the Nets will keep their minds open as they progress through the offseason, but ending the rebuild for Antetokounmpo may not be the move. Brooklyn would most likely not do this trade, at least not how the mock trade suggests.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
How LAFC can get the most out of Son – and avoid another Giroud-like flop
When LAFC mutually parted ways with Olivier Giroud in late June, the only surprise was that they were willing to call it off so soon. To say the 38-year-old forward was a stylistic mismatch is a severe understatement. Even before he debuted, it was clear that Giroud's style didn't fit the team he was joining. Long known for being involved in build-up at multiple steps before making his mark in the box, Giroud was left lumbering behind LAFC's breakneck progression through counters and possession-generated short-field scenarios. Giroud's goal record was inevitably underwhelming, with just five tallies in all competitions across 1,969 minutes — his least prolific club stint since scoring just twice in 534 minutes for boyhood Grenoble before moving to Tours FC in 2008. Advertisement When Giroud and LAFC split, some wondered if it would also end LAFC's recent penchant for signing famous veterans beyond the age of 30, but Son Heung-min's arrival on Wednesday for an MLS-record transfer fee signals there's more to that method. Since Steve Cherundolo took over as coach in 2022, the club has gotten vital contributions from the stars of yesteryear. Its '22 MLS Cup triumph came after a last-gasp equalizer from Gareth Bale forced penalties, in what proved to be the final goal of his club career. Giorgio Chiellini and Hugo Lloris have provided sage wisdom and steady play in non-overlapping stints, with Lloris still keeping goal for the Western Conference contender. However acrimonious Giroud and LAFC's time together was, their uncoupling begat opportunity. For the player, it meant a return to France to finish his career closer to home. For the club, it meant having one less high-wage player on the books while still needing a new goalscoring threat. Earlier this summer, it wasn't a foregone conclusion that Son would leave Tottenham Hotspur. He had just lifted a long-awaited trophy as captain of the UEFA Europa League winner, an undeniable career highlight. He was the one who stuck around from the promising core led by Mauricio Pochettino. As Ange Postecoglou was shown the door and Thomas Frank walked through it as the next manager, it was an obvious time for a Spurs legend to take stock of his career, as Lloris had when Postecoglou first arrived two years ago. It's unlikely that LAFC could have made such an ambitious push to secure Son's services if Giroud was still in Tinseltown. He's a stylistic departure from Giroud, to state the obvious, but one who's a far better fit for how Cherundolo's team operates. Rather than gambling on an unproven youngster, LAFC is replacing a World Cup winner with another international icon. That's a maneuver usually reserved for a UEFA Champions League regular, not a team in MLS. There's just the small matter of where Son will line up. Throughout his time at Tottenham, much of Son's best work came from the left wing. It was common to see Spurs work the ball up to Harry Kane, who would play a cunning through ball into Son's stride. From there, the South Korea legend would either maze toward the box to set up his own look or reward Kane's continued progress with a cutback. No tandem has ever caused so many headaches for Premier League opponents, and they did so while sharing the line with stars as recast as supporting actors. Advertisement The summer of 2023 changed a lot around Tottenham, with the team losing its captain (Lloris) and top scorer (Kane) while working to identify a permanent replacement for Antonio Conte. Son was a natural successor for the two leading player responsibilities, while Postecoglou promised an entertaining system that could guarantee a trophy in his second season. Postecoglou asked his wingers to hug the touchline like throwback wide midfielders rather than the modern inverted deployment made famous by Son and Lionel Messi, among others. While Son was still encouraged to cut towards goal, the areas where he received the ball often left him with too much terrain and too many defenders to make his usual impact. In Conte's final season, Son had an even dispersal of his attacking-half touches across the left two-thirds of the field. Of his attacking touches, 28% came along the touchline, while 24% came in the half-space and 25% came in the central third the width of a six-yard box. As Postecoglou infamously committed to the bit throughout 2024-25, Son was left far from his most impactful areas: just 13% of his touches came in the central third, while a staggering 55% of his attacking touches came from the furthest left-sided zones. The resulting end product was uncharacteristically lean. For the first time in nine full seasons with Tottenham, Son failed to score at least 10 goals. His 0.3 goals per 90 clip was the lowest of his time in London, even trailing his first half-season after arriving from Leverkusen in January 2015. For the first time, his expected assists output (0.35 per 90) exceeded his xG (0.31 per 90) — he had a clearer way of making an impact with his chance creation given his utilization. While most forwards would be happy to match his 43.6% shot accuracy from last year, it was his lowest rate since 2018-19. It doesn't take much speculation that his shot selection became more speculative as opponents had more time to contain him given his more laterally withdrawn positioning. Advertisement LAFC is betting that there are still many goals left in his famous legs, backing that belief with a $26 million transfer fee — a price point made more attainable since LAFC took home $10.6 million from the Club World Cup. Versatile enough to work into varying roles due to his strong interplay and reading of the game, Son is also a clearer partner to operate alongside the club's leading man, Denis Bouanga. The 30-year-old Gabon international has been one of the toughest players for opponents to contain since joining LAFC midway through 2022. He's a one-man wrecking crew in transition, able to dribble past nearly any mark (as opponents found in the Club World Cup) to create his own shooting looks in stride. If Son's capable playmaking chops follow him from London to L.A., it's a terrifying prospect for other MLS Cup hopefuls. Bouanga's presence and cachet could also help avoid putting Son through a similar headache as the one stemming from Postecoglou's system, leaving too far afield from the mixer. While Bouanga is an out-and-out left winger with no clear second position, Son can make a mark from a central position. In theory, the clearest solution would be to lean into a base 4-2-3-1 with Son playing off of an out-and-out center forward, most likely MLS veteran Jeremy Ebobisse or homegrown striker Nathan Ordaz. The latter, a 21-year-old El Salvador international, has gotten the bulk of starts in 2025, with five goals and four assists in 1,105 league minutes. While Ordaz isn't much of a threat in the air, his movement could help create space for Bouanga and Son while he can bear the brunt of leading frontline pressing responsibilities with his youthful legs. There's just one problem: throughout his near-four-year tenure, Cherundolo has seldom experimented with an attacking midfielder or second striker in his lineup. In 29 games across MLS and the Club World Cup (including the playoff against Club América), Cherundolo has used a base 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 in 23 of 29 games this year. The other six instances saw him drop a midfielder to include a third center back, rather than including another more attacking role. His system prioritizes defensive stability to keep space open for those effective counters, while keeping ample bodies in the midfield third to retain the ball — averaging 54% of possession per game — while keeping the final third decongested until an opportunity to pounce presents itself. Advertisement The good news, perhaps, is that the 3-4-3 illustrated above functions as more of a 3-4-2-1. Those two players beneath the striker operate more as attacking midfielders than wingers, with width instead provided by wingbacks. The most recent usage of this system, perhaps tellingly, came Tuesday night with Son watching at BMO Stadium as LAFC faced Tigres in the Leagues Cup, possibly trying to present the new headliner with a look at what he's getting into from a tactical perspective. The most likely scenario would see Bouanga and Son tuck into those two half-space roles and one of Ordaz or Ebobisse to serve as frontline fulcrum. Even if Bouanga's instincts and reading of space lead him to run into true winger territory rather than staying in the half-space, that would only free up further space in the channels and central third for Son to operate. If Cherundolo instead decides to play Son up top, LAFC could deploy young Venezuelan right winger David Martínez alongside Bouanga to create a weaving and dynamic front-three, each capable of making an impact out wide as well as in the box. It should also be noted that Son's fit in the current system is a short-term consideration. In April, Cherundolo announced that he would step down at year's end to return to Germany, having spent his playing days with Hannover 96 while also beginning his coaching career in his adopted home. Undoubtedly, their next coaching search will now keep getting the best from Son at the fore. When preseason kicks off in January, every player will be learning anew, putting Son on level footing with longer-tenured teammates. Still, Son arrives as the only player in MLS beyond Lionel Messi whose own presence and reputation transcends the game itself. Even if he seems like an imperfect fit in Cherundolo's system, especially with Bouanga still in tow, the club has every reason to want to ensure a swift acclimation and immediate returns from a player who just turned 33 last month. Even as Cherundolo and his staff work out how to fit him into their lineup, Son is a far clearer stylistic fit than Giroud ever was. After spending his final year with Tottenham hugging the touchline, Son could be set up to spend far more of his time in the box. Opposing defenses, beware. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
