Steve Webb
PHILADELPHIA — If you’ve followed Max Muncy over the years, you know there are certain pitchers who’ve had his number. One of the biggest thorns in his side? Aaron Nola. Coming into Saturday night’s game, Muncy didn’t have much to show for his past at-bats against the Phillies ace. But baseball’s a game of adjustments—and in the Dodgers’ 3–1 win, Muncy flipped the script.
Three hits later, and the veteran slugger was smiling postgame.
“I haven’t seen him real good in the past,” Muncy admitted. “He’s got one of—if not the—best curveballs in the game, and he mixes it really well.”
But on this night, Max had a different approach: stay within himself, stay quieter in the box, and focus on pitches up in the zone. That calm, simplified plan led to some of the best swings we’ve seen from him this season.
It wasn’t just about one game, either. Muncy has been trending up.
“I felt like the last couple of games, my at-bats have been really good,” he said. “Results aren’t always there, but for me, the process was.” That’s a veteran mindset—trusting the work even when the box score doesn’t show it yet. On Saturday, the results finally caught up to the process.
Of course, Muncy’s big night wasn’t the only headline. Like everyone else in that dugout, he was thrilled to see Roki Sasaki break out in a big way.
“Once he got through that first inning, I felt like I could see his demeanor change,” Muncy said. “It was almost like he trusted himself and realized he’s good enough to pitch here.”
And once the switch flipped, Roki was dominant. “The intent he was throwing with after that first inning was completely different,” Muncy noted. “That was the guy we were waiting to see.”
One pitch that really stood out to Muncy from the dugout view? The splitter.
“From the side, it looked like Glasnow’s curveball,” Muncy said. “Just the bottom falling out of it… those guys were having a tough time seeing it.” That’s high praise for Rōki’s signature pitch, comparing it to one of the most devastating breaking balls in the game.
The Dodgers have every reason to be excited. On a night when the offense did just enough, the pitching carried the day. Muncy’s three-hit performance off one of the NL’s most established arms was just as encouraging as Sasaki’s electric outing.
These are the kind of games that build confidence—not just for one player, but for the whole squad.
Big swings. Big pitches. Big win.
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