Max Muncy

Muncy (oblique) took soft toss Thursday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

The MLB regular season is past the halfway point, and with the All-Star break in the rearview, let's check in on the World Series odds.While the Phillies have the best record in baseball, they don't have the best odds of winning the World Series. The Dodgers' stacked roster owns that title.World Series odds Team WS odds Pennant odds Dodgers +300 +160 Phillies +450 +250 Yankees +500 +240 Orioles +700 +325 Braves +900 +475 Guardians +1500 +700 Astros +1500 +600 Twins +1800 +700 Mariners +1800 +900 Brewers +2500 +1000 Red Sox +4000 +2000 Padres +4000 +2000 Royals +5000 +1800 Cardinals +5000 +2500 Odds via theScore betThe Phillies have a 6.5-game lead over the Dodgers for the National League's top seed, and Philadelphia swept Los Angeles in a three-game series last week.But oddsmakers still favor the Dodgers to win the National League. Los Angeles fell behind in the win column because it dealt with various injuries to key contributors. Entering the All-Star break, Mookie Betts and Max Muncy, along with six starting pitchers, were out.Philadelphia has the MLB's best starting rotation with Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, and Ranger Su rez - three of the top 11 favorites to win the NL Cy Young - and the team will be a nightmare to face in a playoff series, with experienced bats across its star-studded roster. The Phillies had a league-leading seven All-Stars selected to participate in the All-Star Game and are on pace to win a franchise-record 105 games.After consecutive years of playoff heartbreak, it's World Series or bust for the Phillies, who have a group capable of capturing their first championship since 2008.However, while the Dodgers and Phillies are again the National League's heavyweights, the most talented team doesn't always win in the postseason. The Braves have become a mainstay in the NL playoff picture and remain a threat, trailing the Phillies by 8.5 games in the NL East.The Brewers haven't made the playoffs since 2021 but are having a surprisingly productive season. They have a 4.5-game lead over the Cardinals in the NL Central and the fourth-best odds to come out of the National League.The Diamondbacks and the Cardinals are also lurking as potential wild-card teams. The last two National League champions - the Diamondbacks in 2023 and the Phillies in 2022 - had less than 90 regular-season wins and were wild-card teams.Meanwhile, in the American League, the Yankees got off to a hot start but cooled off over the last month, going 8-17 in their final 25 games before the break.Although the Yankees have the best odds to win the American League, the Orioles lead them by one game in the AL East, a division that'll likely come down to the season's final days. Baltimore's ascension began last year with a young crop of talent that led to a division victory. However, the Orioles flamed out in the division series. They're back in contention with a real chance to make their first World Series appearance since 1983.The Red Sox are another AL East threat and are slowly climbing up the oddsboard after a disappointing start. Boston was .500 in mid-June but has won 18 of its last 25 games.The Guardians have the American League's best winning percentage and, according to the odds, are firmly in the championship mix behind the Yankees and Orioles.Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more betting coverage.Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday that Muncy (oblique) is still not swinging a bat and is unlikely to return to the team until at least August, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

The 33-year-old slugger has been shelved since the middle of May due to an oblique strain and it certainly doesn't sound like he's going to be ready to return anytime soon. Expect some combination of Chris Taylor, Enrique Hernandez and Cavan Biggio to continue sharing the load at third base until Muncy is ready to return.

Muncy has been sidelined since the middle of May due to a right oblique strain and any hopes of him returning in July are now out of the picture with this setback. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues that don't have IL spots may be better served cutting bait and finding better use of the roster spot. Muncy has hit .223/.323/.475 with nine homers and 28 RBI in the 40 games that he has been able to play in this season.