For the Los Angeles Dodgers fans, Max Muncy’s absence has felt almost eternal. It’s been nearly three weeks since Muncy hobbled off the field with a bone bruise in his left knee. It was an injury he sustained during a July 2 clash with the Chicago White Sox. Sure, the news was great, given that the MRI revealed no structural damage later. But it also came with some bad news.

There was a six-week recovery timeline that risked putting him on the sidelines through the summer. And as for Muncy, it was a tough pill to swallow. He had dodged a bullet for sure, but sitting out for over a month was no win, given that the team needed him, and he had work to do.

Luckily, though, the Dodgers’ third baseman is suddenly making strides in recovery. On Friday, he took his first swings since the injury, all while wearing a blue sleeve on his left leg. On Saturday, he was throwing, running a little, and fielding grounders. And now more optimism is around, given Dave Roberts has a fresh new update.

Fabian Ardaya ensured LA fans heard it loud and clear. “Max Muncy could be back in ‘a couple weeks,’” said Dave Roberts,“‘It’s coming a lot quicker than we had hoped or had expected.” But this is not the only bombshell from Robert’s end — turns out that the skipper revealed that Mookie Betts will continue to lead off for now. Once Muncy returns, however, things could shift.

Turns out that the Dodgers are waiting to reveal their lineup once their big bat is back. And for sure, you could argue that Max Muncy’s start this season has been slow. But you bet things had changed last month, all thanks to his new glasses! He learnt that he had astigmatism in his right eye and hence began wearing glasses to balance out his vision. And it kind of did work, given he hit his first home run of the year!

But the happiness only lasted long, given right after he got his groove, the injury struck, and without him, the offense sputtered. They scored two or fewer runs in seven of their last 12 games—and that should say enough. Now, with Muncy maybe coming ahead of schedule, fans may have time to finally breathe easy.

Dodgers’ eyeing secret weapon for October?

Now the Los Angeles Dodgers would require a lot more than just Muncy when it comes to getting to the sweet October—they need bullpen help. And if you are being honest, bullpen depth has always been the storyline when October baseball rolls on. Sure, trading for relievers can feel like flipping a coin. Dodgers fans will know better, given some of those past-deadline whiffs the franchise had to face.

But those don’t stop LA from making a move when the moment calls for it. And right now, it might be just that. Given that injuries are piling up, the need for help is real. And this is where Ryan Helsey enters the picture. The St. Louis Cardinals’ flame-throwing closer and leader when it comes to MLB saves last year. Now, CBS Sports linked Helsley to the Los Angeles Dodgers, mentioning that Tanner Scott, the current closer, has blown a league high of seven saves in 26 chances. Plus, his ERA, sitting at 4.09, is not comforting.

Well, Helsley’s ERA of 3.27 is not screaming dominance, but don’t be fooled. He is tied for fourth in the NL in saves with 19. He also boasts a slider that has allowed just a .083 batting average. And that’s right—when batters swing, they usually miss. They miss a lot, nearly 44% of the time.

Sure, the Cardinals are not waving the white flag on Helsley just yet. They are just 2.5 games back in the Wild Card race. But Helsley becomes a free agent this season, making him prime rental material. In the end, it all comes down to business, and if LA can land Helsley without gutting their farm system, he might be making his way to the Dodgers for sure.

Plus, for sure, a reliable closer in October can be the difference between disappointment and champagne showers. Don’t you think?