A's Provide Update on Max Muncy After Scary Hit-By-Pitch

This is the third year in a row that Max Muncy has been hit by a pitch on the hand, and the past two years they have come in the big leagues against the Texas Rangers. The third was in April of 2024 when facing the Sacramento River Cats at Sutter Health Park.

Last July, facing the Rangers on the road, the A's third baseman was hit on the right hand by an 89 mile per hour slider from Jack Leiter. This would leave Muncy with a right hand fracture, which would end his season. He would later report to the Arizona Fall League for a few extra at-bats after the regular season had ended.

On Monday night in Sacramento, Muncy was again hit on the hand by a pitch against the Texas Rangers, this time with Nathan Eovaldi getting him on the left hand with a 92 mph sinker. Muncy was removed from the game and replaced at third base by Darell Hernaiz for the remainder of the contest.

This time, Muncy and the A's appear to have avoided serious injury. His reaction was so calm this time that the A's had to challenge whether or not he was actually hit, despite it being pretty clear that he was drilled on the top of his hand.

Following the contest, A's manager Mark Kotsay said that it looks like it's just a contusion.

"I think we got lucky. Munce will probably go day-to-day based on the x-ray being negative. That's a positive for us tonight. This young man, he's been battling for us. For it to just be day-to-day, that's good news."

Playing third in the meantime

Given that Muncy has been the team's second-best hitter behind Shea Langeliers in the early going, batting .317 with a .349 OBP and a 150 wRC+ (100 is league average) on the season, the hope is that he'll be back shortly.

In the interim, it will likely be Hernaiz getting some regular time at third base, given that both players were in a competition for the position this spring, and both performed well enough to earn roles on the Opening Day roster. Muncy has received nearly every start, however, getting one day at DH instead of third, but even in that one it was Andy Ibáñez that got the start at the hot corner.

Hernaiz has had four total starts around the diamond through the team's first 16 games, and has started slowly, going 3-for-17 (.188) with three singles and a stolen base. Perhaps the consistent playing time will get him into a rhythm at the dish.

While the role for Ibáñez has been largely to face left-handed pitchers this season, and the Rangers will be sending out Mackenzie Gore on Tuesday, Hernaiz may still get a look in the starting lineup for game two. Not only could he use a couple of starts, but he's also 3-for-4 with a home run against Gore in their careers.

Jeff McNeil (8-for-12), Nick Kurtz (2-for-3) and Shea Langeliers (2-for-5, HR) have also had some good success against the lefty. Gore holds a 2.76 ERA across his first three starts of 2026, along with a 39.7% strikeout rate, but the A's bats—even the left-handers—have given him trouble in the past.

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