Muncy sees hand specialist after he was hit on wrist

PHOENIX (AP) — Dodgers infielder Max Muncy was seen by a hand specialist to determine the extent of a right wrist injury suffered when he was hit by a pitch.

A fluoroscopy taken after Wednesday’s game in San Diego showed no structural damage, but Muncy was to undergo further evaluation by Arizona hand specialist Dr. Don Sheridan before the Dodgers opened a four-game series at Arizona.

“With how it feels right now, I’m a little nervous,” Muncy said before Thursday’s game.

Muncy is batting .253 with 33 homers and a career-high 87 RBIs in 129 games. He has made 59 starts and second base and has played at least 28 games at first, second and third this season.

If Muncy misses extended time, it could hasten the promotion of top prospect Gavin Lux, who is hitting a combined .348 with 26 homers and 76 RBIs in 111 games at Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City.

“If we get different news than the initial diagnosis (on Muncy), then, yeah, we will probably be a little more aggressive with our September call-ups,” manager Dave Roberts said, speaking generally.

Chris Taylor missed five weeks with a left forearm fracture after being hit by a pitch on July 16, and Muncy said he was hit in a similar spot on the opposite wrist. The initial fluoroscopy on Taylor also showed no damage.

“They said my pictures looked better than CT’s,” Muncy said. “So there is hope that it’s correct. But if there’s a tiny crack, that machine won’t show (it). We’re basically just double-checking it and hoping for the best.”

Muncy was a first-time All-Star this season, his second with the Dodgers. He is unlikely to be placed on the injured list because rosters expand Sunday.