Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland A's Players Stay in Lock Step

Jason Burke | May 17, 2024

May 4, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (13) runs / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

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At first it was kind of cute that both the Oakland A's and Los Angeles Dodgers had a Max Muncy. It's not a common name, which made it enjoyable. The fact that the A's were the team that drafted both Muncys was a nice twist.

Both Maxes were born on August 25. L.A.'s Muncy was born in 1990, while the A's version, Max Muncy 2.0, was born in 2002. Still borderline fun, but certainly getting a little weird at this point.

Then, on Friday, both players were placed on the IL. The 33-year-old has a right oblique strain, while the 21-year-old's stint doesn't include a reason on the team's transactions page. Minor league injuries are a bit mysterious like that.

The younger Muncy was hit on the hand with a fastball on April 23, and was on the IL until May 10. He played in a total of four games upon his return, three against Round Rock last week, and then in the first game against this week's opponent, El Paso, on Tuesday. He hasn't played in the past two days.

The Dodgers are getting Jason Heyward back for his first game since the end of March, and he's batting eighth on Friday. With Muncy out, Enrique Hernández is manning the hot corner, batting ninth, while Gavin Lux is being moved up to sixth in the lineup for just the second time all season. The first time came on Thursday.

For the Las Vegas Aviators, there is no lineup released just yet, but they have plenty of shortstop options still on the roster. No. 1 prospect Jacob Wilson will be there, if healthy, but he was pulled in Wednesday's game after a half-inning in the field, and then didn't play on Thursday. Vegas has been tight lipped about what the extent of his injury is so far, but he was recently dealing with a hangnail, according to the broadcast on Wednesday.

If both Muncy and Wilson are down, then recently activated Nick Allen figures to be the guy at shortstop for Las Vegas.

Published May 17, 2024

JASON BURKE

Jason is the host of the Locked on A's podcast, and the managing editor of Inside the A's. He's a new father and can't wait to take his son to his first baseball game at the Coliseum.