Ildemaro Vargas, Max Muncy doing OK after ‘nasty’ collision in Diamondbacks-Dodgers game

PHOENIX — Ildemaro Vargas of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Max Muncy of the Los Angeles Dodgers were both down for several minutes after a violent collision at first base during Thursday’s game at Chase Field.

Muncy hit a chopper down the first-base line, which Vargas fielded, but pitcher Ryne Nelson did not get over to cover the bag. Muncy just beat Vargas in a footrace to the base, but both players cut to the inside of the bag and smashed into each other.

Alerta en Arizona: Max Muncy e Ildemaro Vargas abandonan el juego luego de colisionar fuertemente en primera base. pic.twitter.com/nANgPezSaY

— El Extrabase ⚾️ (@ElExtrabase) June 5, 2026

Vargas flew backwards, and both players remained down for several minutes. Muncy had blood on his nose, while Vargas was helped to the dugout after holding his leg.

It appears both players made it out of the situation having avoided serious injury.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Vargas had some bruising on his thigh, rib cage area and on his neck, but X-rays came out negative. Vargas said he felt like he had been hit by a truck but would be alright.

Muncy told reporters in the visiting clubhouse that he got “a little banged up,” but he passed concussion tests.

Vargas added that Muncy sent him over a gift, although he did not disclose what it was, and Vargas said he sent a thank you back as the two players reconciled.

Lovullo even said Vargas told him he would be ready to go on Friday against the Washington Nationals, but the skipper does not see that happening. Lovullo called Vargas “day-to-day.”

As for the play itself, Nelson wore his mistake postgame, expressing the regret he had in not covering the bag.

He described having a front-row seat, calling the collision “nasty.”

“I try to take pride in doing the little things right and fielding my position and covering first base,” Nelson said. “Watching a teammate and a friend get taken out of the game like that, it was very disappointing.

“I came up right after that inning just to check on him and make sure he was doing OK. That was my biggest worry at that point, was just that he was going to be OK and he wasn’t going to be hurt too bad. … Glad they’re both OK.”

Lovullo explained that an experienced first baseman would probably slide into the bag to avoid contact in that situation.

Vargas has defended the position very well this season, but he’s adapted to a less familiar spot out of necessity. He’s logged more innings at first base this season than he had throughout his entire career beforehand.

“I think that’s where experience plays a big role,” Lovullo said. “I think somebody like Freddie Freeman would slide feet first and give way to the runner who’s probably going to be standing up. Runners are taught not to slide head first into first base. So I think there’s a way to do it, to get to the bag just as fast and use it as if you’re sliding into second base on a double. That would have been the play to avoid that situation.”

The Diamondbacks ended up winning the game, 3-2, on a walk-off home run from Ketel Marte.

After the game, Marte expressed his relief that Vargas, a longtime teammate and friend, was not seriously hurt.

“In my 10 years, I’ve never seen that type of collision, and especially seeing a teammate like (Vargas). He’s like my brother and I never want to see that happen again,” Marte said via Spanish interpreter.

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