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Max Muncy is out of the Dodgers lineup on Saturday night against the Braves, one night after leaving the series opener with right ankle pain.
Muncy grounded into a double play in the fourth inning on Friday, and felt pain in the ankle on his way back to the dugout. Dave Roberts said Muncy couldn’t recall any specific incident that caused the pain. On Saturday, Roberts characterized Muncy’s injury as a mild ankle sprain.
Dodgers-Braves lineups
| Pos | Dodgers | Pos | Braves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Dodgers | Pos | Braves |
| RF | Betts | RF | Acuña Jr. |
| 3B | Turner | 1B | Freeman (L) |
| CF | Bellinger (L) | 2B | Albies (S) |
| 2B | Taylor | 3B | Riley |
| 1B | Beaty (L) | SS | Swanson |
| SS | Lux (L) | LF | Adrianza (S) |
| LF | McKinstry (L) | CF | Heredia |
| C | Barnes | C | Smith |
| P | Kershaw (L) | P | Morton |
“He tried to go back out there and take the field, and it didn’t respond well,” Roberts said Friday night. “We’d be more concerned if it was hitting the bag or something like that, but he didn’t feel it then.”
Muncy, who leads the Dodgers in games played (54), plate appearances (231), and defensive innings (467⅓), was replaced at first base in the bottom of the fourth by Matt Beaty.
Roberts said that Muncy was day to day, though with Monday’s off day it’s possible he is held out of the final two games against the Braves to get three days of rest. X-rays later on Saturday on Muncy’s ankle were negative.
“Today is was more stiffness, not any pain,” Roberts said. “We just felt to give him another day of treatment, and hopefully we’ll know more tomorrow.”
Matt Beaty gets the start at first base for the Dodgers on Saturday, and coupled with Zach McKinstry in left field gives the Dodgers four left-handed position players in the lineup against Braves right-hander Charlie Morton.
Left-hander Max Fried starts on Sunday for Atlanta.
Saturday marks Clayton Kershaw’s second career start at what is now called Truist Park. He allowed one run in 7⅔ innings with eight strikeouts and no walks in a win in Atlanta in 2018, in the second season of what was then named SunTrust Park.
Atlanta roster move
Before Saturday’s game, Atlanta placed left-hander Grant Dayton, who recorded four outs on Friday night, on the 10-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation, and recalled right-hander Jacob Webb from Triple-A Gwinnett.