Max Muncy's 2022 season was far from ideal. The Los Angeles Dodgers' slugger slashed a miserable .196/.329/.384 with a .713 OPS. His forgettable campaign has fans wondering what the future holds for Muncy. Although the surface numbers are not easy to look at it, there is underlying optimism heading into 2023. And there will certainly be no shortage of motivation for Muncy and LA after their 2022 postseason loss to the San Diego Padres.
Without further ado, here are 3 reasons Max Muncy will bounce back for the Dodgers in 2023.
*Statistics via Max Muncy's Baseball Reference page.
Walk rate
Walk rate tells a lot about how a player is seeing the baseball. Yes, Muncy posted an underwhelming OBP last year. But that was a direct result of his all-around struggles at the plate. He still walked 90 times last season, which tied his career high.
Max Muncy also posted the second highest walk rate of his career with a mark of 15.9 percent. He would benefit from lowering his 25 percent strikeout rate. But Muncy's ability to cover the plate and draw base on balls is crucial.
He should be in line for an uptick in OBP in 2023. And that alone will help matters.
MLB shift ban
The MLB shift ban is going to help a number of hitters around the league. Former Dodgers' star and current Chicago Cub Cody Bellinger recently dropped an insightful take on the shift going away.
As for Max Muncy, his career pull percentage (how often a batter pulls the baseball to right field as a left-handed hitter) is 36.8 percent. But that mark was at 41.9 percent in 2022. He consistently rolled over into the shift which led to frustrations at the plate for the Dodgers' infielder.
But with the shift set to be banned in 2023, Max Muncy is going to be able to pull the baseball all he wants. As a result, his batting average and slugging percentage should both be on track for an increase.
Based on a numbers standpoint, we've already established that Max Muncy is going to see improvements in average, OBP, and slugging. That will lead to a better OPS, more home runs, and better offensive production.
But baseball is a game that is more than purely numbers. There is a pivotal mental aspect that needs to be considered. The final reason for Muncy's 2023 turnaround will stem from a confidence perspective.
Max Muncy's big 2023 role for Dodgers
Trea Turner, Justin Turner, and Cody Bellinger all departed in free agency this offseason. Max Muncy and the team are sad to see those players leave. But their absences will place pressure on Max Muncy to step up and perform. He's going to see an increased role alongside Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Will Smith for LA.
Some may argue that the pressure will lead to decreased results. But if he hits higher in the lineup, Muncy will find himself with plenty of RBI opportunities. And from a confidence standpoint, being thrown into a big role can help the case.
It will certainly be interesting to see if Muncy can live up to his potential. This is a player who's crushed more than 35 home runs in three different seasons with the Dodgers. He's one of the better power hitters in the game when he's going right.
The Dodgers will need Muncy to perform well amid their plethora of free agency departures.
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