Thursday’s game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks was briefly delayed by a very frightening collision.
Dodgers infielder Max Muncy was up to bat in the fifth inning at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. Muncy bounced a 2-1 pitch down the first base line, and Dbacks first baseman Ildemaro Vargas tracked it down.
Vargas went sprinting to the bag to try to record the out but failed to do so. That then led to a violent head-on collision with Muncy, leaving both players down on the field in agony.
Here is the video.
Max Muncy and Ildemaro Vargas collided HARD into each other and are both leaving the game pic.twitter.com/Yzl28PS2L5
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 5, 2026
Muncy was forced to leave the game due to shortness of breath, per the Dodgers, and also had to be evaluated for a possible concussion (ultimately getting replaced on the bases by Santiago Espinal). Vargas also had to exit the game as a result of the collision and was replaced at first base by Pavin Smith.
The 34-year-old Vargas primarily plays at third base and second base but has received extended playing time at first base this season for the first time in his MLB career. With Dbacks pitcher Ryne Nelson failing to cover the bag on that Muncy grounder, Vargas had to charge at full-speed to try to get the out, resulting in an even worse infield collision than this one from last season.
