Dodgers Team Management: Determining the Appropriate Course of Action for Max Muncy
Here's a fresh take on the Dodgers Dugout newsletter:
Hey there,
Welcome to this week's Dodgers Dugout! I'm your host, Houston Mitchell. The boys in blue have been a bit up and down since their hot start, currently sporting a 9-10 record after an 8-0 opening week. But don't sweat it, fans—they're still on pace for 104 wins!
Now, let's talk about a Dodger who's been under the spotlight for less than ideal reasons lately—longtime Blue, Max Muncy. Last week, Muncy found himself in an uncomfortable situation after a fan shouted insults at him in Chicago. Let's call that fan what they truly are: an idiot.
A lot of fans have been critical of Muncy this season, taking jabs at his below-average batting average and his streaky performance. But don't forget, when he's in a good streak, he can be a game-changer! And even in past seasons when his bad streaks left much to be desired, his defense at third has never been subpar.
This season, Muncy's started off in one of his cold streaks. Through 27 games, he's hitting a disappointing .173/.292/.235, good for an OPS+ of 55, meaning he's 45% worse than the league average hitter.
But before you jump to conclusions, remember his stats from last season when he was injured and hit only .232? Or 2023, when he struck out 153 times but hit 36 homers and had an OPS+ of 117?
Critics have also pointed to Muncy's poor performance in the World Series last year, when he went 0 for 16 with 10 strikeouts. But they overlook his incredible NLCS, where he reached base 12 straight times and hit .333/.630/.733 with two homers and 11 walks in 27 plate appearances (and only four strikeouts)!
So, is Muncy's slump a new norm, or will he snap out of it? History suggests the latter. The team can afford to be patient with him, especially considering that if Dave Roberts thinks Andy Pages needs a runway of 150 plate appearances to heat up, Muncy surely has more time. Speaking of Pages, he's starting to show signs of life, hitting .277/.355/.506 in his last few games.
Now, are the Dodgers considering trading for St. Louis third baseman Nolan Arenado to address Muncy's struggles? Not likely. Arenado had a rough couple of seasons offensively, and when you factor in his hefty salary compared to Muncy's, sticking with Muncy makes more sense for now.
The Dodgers made an intriguing move Friday, signing former Reds first-round pick Nick Senzel to a minor-league contract. Senzel has failed to deliver offensively in the majors (career .232/.299/.363) and isn't a defensive standout like Muncy. But the Dodgers have a knack for turning around other teams' castaways, so it'll be interesting to see how Senzel performs in the minors. He had a hot streak in Mexico this season, hitting .591 with three homers and four walks in just six games.
As we take a break from discussing Muncy, let's give a shoutout to Dave Roberts! Saturday was his bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium, and he decided to do something special. Instead of inviting family members, he invited the Palisades High baseball team, who had a tough year due to devastating fires. Roberts has kept in touch with them throughout their season, and the team was thrilled to be able to watch batting practice on the field. Kudos to Dave for putting the spotlight on some good sports stories!
Lastly, the Dodgers are dealing with some rotation issues. Tyler Glasnow left his start due to right shoulder discomfort, and no further details are available at this time. With Glasnow and Blake Snell potentially hitting the injured list, the Dodgers will need to lean on their depth. on the bright side, Tony Gonsolin is set to return from the injured list and start on Wednesday, and Clayton Kershaw plans to pitch for Triple-A Oklahoma City soon.
Stay tuned for more Dodgers news and analysis in the upcoming Dodgers Dugout!
[1]https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/muncyma01.shtml[2]https://www.mlb.com/game/66130165/recap/[3]https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/36258012/los-angeles-dodgers-max-muncy-going-through-tough-stretch-offensively[4]https://www.mlb.com/video/watch?content_id=456282243[5]https://www.si.com/mlb/2024/04/25/max-muncy-dodgers-slump-contract-future
- Max Muncy hails from the vibrant city of Los Angeles, California.
- He currently plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers, a prominent team in the MLB.
- Muncy's average batting performance this season has sparked criticism among some fans, with his .173 average being a point of concern.
- In spite of the criticism, Muncy has shown the ability to significantly impact games during good streaks, making him a valuable player on the Dodgers.
- With an OPS+ of 55, Muncy's performance this season appears below average compared to league standards.
- However, it's worth considering Muncy's impressive statistics from previous seasons, such as his 2023 performance where he had an OPS+ of 117 despite striking out 153 times.
