Dave Roberts expects Max Muncy to be ready for Opening Day

Dave Roberts spoke with the media on Friday. It was the first we’ve heard from Roberts in quite some time, as he provided updates on numerous things.

One of the more notable takeaways was that he expects Dodgers first baseman Max Muncy to be ready for Opening Day.

“I think that you know with what Max went through, the rehab, the range of motion, the strength,” Roberts said via Zoom. “I talked to him yesterday, and it’s probably about 85 percent. I think he might have been one of the beneficiaries of a week postponement of the season.”

Muncy hurt the elbow on a play at first base against the Brewers on October 3, the final day of the regular season. At the end of November, Muncy said on ‘High Heat’ that he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow.

Luckily for Muncy, he said that getting Tommy John surgery was never on the table for him. It was the best possible outcome considering how severe the injury could have been.

Last week Muncy joined Dodger Talk and provided an update on his recovery, where he also said he’d likely be ready for Opening Day as well.

It’s coming along. It feels pretty good. We’ve been swinging a bat lately. It’s progressing well. The lockout helps, but it’s a little tricky. I’m getting more time to get healthy but I’m not being able to work with my guys on the staff. I can’t even talk to them. I’d be getting better treatment if I was getting worked on by them. It’s the unfortunate circumstances. It does give me a chance to get healthy but I’m not getting the full extent of what I could be getting. I think even before the lockout it was looking like I’d be ready for Opening Day. I still think we’re on track for that now. It’s feeling strong and healthy. It’s a little stiff, but that’s to be expected. We’re working through it and it should be good to go.

Opening Day was originally scheduled for March 31. Thanks to the updated schedule, Muncy receives an extra eight days to be ready, as the Dodgers kick off their season on April 8 in Colorado.