Dodgers Notes: Muncy’s Rehab Assignment, Gonsolin Update, Kwan Rumors, Alex Freeland Time & More

CINCINNATI, OH—As the Los Angeles Dodgers prepare for Game Two of a three-game series tonight versus the Cincinnati Reds, we have plenty of updates around the team after yesterday’s 5-2 win.

Muncy to Start Rehab Assignment

On the night that Los Angeles Dodgers icon Clayton Kershaw eclipsed the three-thousand-strikeout mark, the Dodgers also lost a significant player in Max Muncy to injury.

On a slide from veteran outfielder Michael A Taylor, he would collide with Max Muncy’s left knee, instantly knocking the hefty third baseman to the ground, who was in pain.

At the time, many fans, including myself, assumed the worst—a season-ending knee injury; however, the Dodgers and Muncy dodged a bullet after imaging revealed it was just a severe bone bruise.

Initially, the timeline for Muncy was a six- to eight-week recovery period. Still, after the All-Star break, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stated that Muncy was ahead of where the team’s trainers initially thought he’d be.

Muncy has returned to all baseball activities, was seen running the bases and fielding balls at third base, and while the team is away on their nine-game East Coast road trip, he headed to the team’s Arizona complex to take live at-bats.

Now, a little less than a month later, Muncy will begin a minor league rehab assignment today with the Triple-A OKC Comets, per Dave Roberts.

It won’t be a slow ramp-up for Muncy either, as the veteran infielder is expected to play third base along with hitting in a live game for the first time since early July.

It’s unclear how long Muncy would need in the minors, but the team has a contingency plan in place if it is longer than a week or two, as the team has reportedly promoted top infield prospect Alex Freeland, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.

Freeland, 23, is a shortstop by trade but has been playing exclusively third base in the wake of Muncy’s knee injury in case the Dodgers needed his production at the Major League level.

The return of Muncy will bolster the Dodgers’ offense, which has seemed lost without his bat in the heart of the order. Overall, the Dodgers’ collective 89 wRC+ in July is their worst mark of the year, which aligns with when Muncy went on the injured list.

Tony Gonsolin Update

While the Dodgers received positive news about third baseman Max Muncy, who should return to the Dodgers lineup in August, it’s a different story regarding right-handed starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin.

After a delayed start to the 2025 regular season due to a back issue suffered in spring training, Tony Gonsolin made his 2025 debut in April, his first appearance since the 2023 season.

Gonsolin, 31, had missed the entire 2024 season after undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery during the 2023 regular season. While the right-hander did attempt a return during the postseason last fall, the team opted to hold off and have Gonsolin get a clean start for the 2025 season.

Gonsolin’s return did not last long as the righty was placed on the 15-day injured list about a month later due to right elbow discomfort on June 7th.

It didn’t take long for the Dodgers to transfer Gonsolin to the 60-day injured list as the team did not have a clear outlook for him moving forward.

Fast-forward to today, and that appears to be the case still, as Gonsolin has yet to resume a throwing program, and Dave Roberts was seemingly hinting at a potential lost season.

“We’re going to have to make a decision with Tony soon. I’m not sure what that is, but we’re going to have to make a decision at some point,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently said.

Roberts mentioned he is unsure whether Gonsolin’s injury has worsened or if he just hasn’t improved enough to start throwing again.

“I just know I haven’t seen or heard of him throwing yet,” Roberts said. “I know we’re waiting, but I haven’t dug in on why. “Clearly, he just doesn’t feel good to throw yet, or it might be a time situation.”

Unlike last season, the Dodgers are in a much better position with the starting rotation. Last summer, the Dodgers lost multiple key arms, including Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Glasnow, and even Yamamoto, and were potentially hoping Gonsolin could return to help the team in October.

This year, it’s been the opposite as the Dodgers have seen the return of all their arms, including Kershaw, Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani, and now Blake Snell, who is slated to be activated off the 60-day injured list this weekend in Tampa.

Gonsolin signed a one-year, $5.4 million contract with the Dodgers this past offseason to avoid arbitration and remains under team control for one more season; however, if he suffers another lengthy injury, he could be a prime candidate to be non-tendered this offseason.

Dodgers Interested in Steven Kwan

The 2025 Major League Baseball trade deadline is less than two days away, and the rumor mill is starting to explode.

The latest player connected to the Dodgers is Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

He is drawing “a ton” of interest, according to a club source, with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres believed to be among the teams in the mix.

While the Dodgers remain focused on addressing their bullpen at the deadline, according to multiple reports, the team is also interested in various high-profile position players, including Kwan, Harrison Bader of the Twins, and Brendan Donovan of the Cardinals.

Kwan can play all three outfield positions, but he has primarily played left field in 2025. The Guardians’ All-Star is hitting .287/.351/.411 with twenty doubles, nine home runs, and thirty-seven RBI. He also adds a speed element with eleven stolen bases in thirteen tries.

However, the price for Kwan is likely to be high as the outfielder is under cheap team control for the next 2.5 seasons, and the Guardians are not willing to part ways with him this season.

Still, it shows that Andrew Friedman and Co. are doing their due diligence and checking on multiple premium players to see if they can make a significant upgrade this deadline.

Alex Freeland to be Promoted; Kim/Edman to IL

During yesterday’s game, it was reported by Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic that the Dodgers would be promoting top infield prospect Alex Freeland.

Freeland, 23, has been having a great first full year in Triple-A, slashing .253/.372/.416 with a .788 OPS while also being an above-average defender at shortstop and third base.

The Dodgers will not have to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Freeland, as there was already an opening; however, the corresponding move has yet to be announced. All signs point to either Hyeseong Kim or Tommy Edman hitting the injured list.

Dave Roberts confirmed that over the last several days, Kim had been dealing with a left shoulder injury, which could be the explanation for his increased strikeout percentage and lack of offensive production in July.

Still, Kim was in the Dodgers lineup yesterday, going 0-for-3 with two punch-outs.

As for Edman, this is the third separate instance that his ankle has caused some concern for the switch-hitting utilityman, an injury that forced him to miss time on the injured list last season and earlier this year.

Edman was unable to play defense yesterday, which prompted the Dodgers to start Miguel Rojas at third base instead with a righty on the mound.

Roberts stated postgame that he would’ve pinch-hit Edman for Kim late in the game. Still, Edman was unable to take the field for even three defensive innings, showcasing the potential severity of the injury.

Roberts stated that he’d check in with the training staff tomorrow to determine whether Edman is able to play, but admitted that the outlook doesn’t look great. However, he still insisted that Edman would be considered day-to-day.

Regardless, Freeland is en route to Cincy for tonight’s game, where all signs point to Edman being placed on the injured list.

Around the Diamond

• Clayton Kershaw will kick off the Dodgers series on Friday in Tampa, rather than Saturday. Roberts also stated Yamamoto’s next start would come on Sunday, leaving Snell’s activation off the 60-day IL on Saturday.
• Despite being surrounded by trade rumors, Dave Roberts stated that it’s unlikely the Dodgers will trade young catcher Dalton Rushing at the deadline on Thursday.
• Kiké Hernández has yet to resume baseball activities but is still expected to return this season. Was placed on the 10-day injured list with left elbow inflammation.

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