Cody Snavely
In our recent episode of The Bleed Los Podcast, we caught up with Max Muncy as he reflects on the 2022 season and his outlook for the 2023 season, which is fast approaching.
The Dodgers’ 2023 season is coming up just around the corner, with pitchers and catchers reporting Thursday, February 16. However, this year’s Dodgers team will feel very different from years past, with fan favorites such as Justin Turner and Cody Bellinger playing for new ballclubs. In the words of Stan Kasten, the Dodgers seem to be going through another “youth movement” as what was once blocked by current major leaguers is now an opportunity for those players to flourish and try and compete at the big league level.
When asked about his views on the young players that are bound to make an impact, Muncy could not be more excited to see these guys get their shot in the big leagues; naming a few familiar names such as Miguel Vargas and Gavin Stone however, one player he mentioned who flew under the radar was Michael Grove. Grove, who made a few spot starts for LA last season, pitching 29.1 innings with a 4.60 ERA, really impressed Muncy due to Grove’s pure “stuff” in his pitch selection. Grove will be someone the Dodgers will count on as the 2023 season goes on, especially when injuries are bound to happen.
Many Dodgers fans and those in the media have questioned the Dodgers’ offseason, especially after a 111-win season was thrown down the garbage disposal after losing to the Padres in the 2022 NLDS. However, Muncy couldn’t disagree more. Muncy is very confident that the Dodgers are still, in fact, the Dodgers. A team with a long track record dating back to 2013 of success with countless division titles and a minor league system that has continued to rank top in the league. Muncy and Dodgers fans like myself couldn’t agree more that the 2023 Dodgers are a fascinating group with the potential to make a run. Will they win 111 games? Probably not. However, they will compete and still be one of the best teams in the National League.
Another interesting topic that was brought up in the podcast was how Muncy changed his swing, precisely his batting stance.
Muncy, who had a very up-and-down year, finished just batting.196. However, he finished with 21 home runs and was second in the National League in walks with 90. Muncy, who suffered a torn UCL on his left elbow on the last day of the regular season in 2021, was bound to have some regression in his first season back. Muncy admitted throughout the season and reiterated on the podcast that it was a grind and a big part of his struggles this year. Muncy also stated it was hard trying to get the “feel” back. Baseball is a very mental game, and Muncy knows this too well. Muncy and the Dodgers staff got the idea of a step back from former Rockies third basemen Nolan Arenado who Muncy described as having a lot of movement in his stance.
The Dodgers will certainly need Max Muncy to come back to his 2021 production for them to be contenders in the National League and for more player interviews such as this one, be sure to follow The Bleed Los Podcast.
