The Los Angeles Dodgers handled the Milwaukee Brewers with relative ease in the Wild Card Series, but it was mostly a struggle for the offense, as the group hit just .207/.292/.345 during the two-game sweep.
Max Muncy was among the Dodgers who had a difficult time at the plate, going a combined 0-for-5 with four strikeouts and two walks against the Brewers pitching staff. Despite the rough showing, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was encouraged by some of Muncy’s swings and intends to keep batting him fourth or fifth.
“He’ll be in the middle of our lineup,” Roberts said. “I still think the first game, taking a couple walks, the second game I thought he got off some really good swings; just didn’t make contact. But I still think he’s seeing the baseball considerably better and I like him where he’s at.
“The second game I thought he took some very good swings. Yeah, he missed some pitches that they executed, but I still thought the swings were considerably better than they had been in the middle of the year.”
As Roberts noted, Muncy’s swings as of late have looked more competitive, especially when compared to the early portion of the season. Muncy attributed the slow start to the mental challenge of having to change his swing mechanics after fracturing a finger on his left hand during Summer Camp.
Roberts has long maintained that Muncy will start seeing results at the plate, reiterating last month that he was pleased with his approach heading into the postseason.
“I don’t need numbers to see if they’re controlling the strike zone, if they’re using the whole field, if they’re ending the at-bat at the appropriate time when they get a pitch they can handle,” Roberts said. “For me, that’s more that I’m looking for going into the postseason.”
Muncy ‘fine’ after feeling sting in right wrist
In the Dodgers’ final regular-season series against the L.A. Angels, there was some cause for concern after Muncy appeared to have injured his right wrist on a check swing.
Muncy fractured the same wrist last year and eventually came out of the game, but Roberts explained the move was made out of precaution. “Max is fine,” he said at the time.
“It was just a check swing. He could’ve stayed in the game, but for me, I’m trying to manage workload as we close out this regular season. It just kind of stung him a little bit; sometimes that happens when you check swing. Max is fine.”
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