Max Muncy doesn’t take Buehlers day off
but the rest of the Dodger offense did. Once again Max Muncy led the Dodger offense just as he has done most of May. Before Justin Turner returned last week and Puig got hot most of the May damage had come from the unlikely source of Max Muncy.
It isn’t just an illusion as you can tell from the leaderboard below. I did have to cherry pick because Max has played mostly 3rd base so these are the top 3rd baseman in baseball with at least 15 games at 3rd base.
Muncy is basically the left-handed version of Christian Villanueva. Both failed in previous major league gigs, both are having breakout seasons in 2018, and while the Padres have found that Villanueva can’t hit right-hand pitching he can crush left-handed pitching, and opposite might be the case for Muncy who has an OPS of .921 against right-hand pitching so far this year.
Muncy is doing so well that to get his bat into the lineup against right-hand pitching, Cody Bellinger is now playing CF so Muncy can play 1st base. This means that either Kemp or Puig needs to sit if Dave feels the need to start Joc Pederson. On Monday that left Puig on the bench even though he has been the best hitter on the team in May purely based on his beasting last week. Joc started and went hitless and the Dodgers lost 2 – 1. You can do the math.
Player OPS+ PA Age Tm Kris Bryant 169 185 26 CHC Jose Ramirez 156 198 25 CLE Nolan Arenado 148 186 27 COL Max Muncy 148 86 27 LAD Eugenio Suarez 144 132 26 CIN Christian Villanueva 140 150 27 SDP Eduardo Escobar 140 170 29 MIN Jedd Gyorko 137 86 29 STL Mike Moustakas 132 199 29 KCR Matt Chapman 129 194 25 OAK
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 5/22/2018.
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- Tagged: Max Muncy
Dodgers, Yesterday and Today 
I went to the game last night and sat in some great seats behind home plate Aisle 2 row G.
The pitch on Muncy’s HR was was in his wheel house.
Parra had a similar experience last night. I was going to mention that this guy is a Dodger nemesis as he approached the batter’s box from the on deck circle, but kept my mouth shut instead. Then … boom.
Only three hits for each team.
Mr. Utley had a very rough game.
Kemp going down the line … his left foot crossed the foul line for one footfall, his left shoulder also heading toward 2B. Kinda like a balk for a pitcher. Oh well.
Just three hits for each team. The Rockies played better defense.
I predicted the Dodgers would need to scratch and claw this season, but did not imagine things would get this tough.
The League has Mr. Bellinger figured out. It looks worse in person.
Meanwhile, the Rockies find themselves in first place in the NL West today.
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