Max Muncy drops truth bomb with Dodgers on verge of getting swept by Mets

Said Muncy after the Dodgers’ loss, “It’s one of those things where you have to weather the storm, grind through it, and know that in the end we’re going to be just fine.”

The Dodgers’ struggles at the plate continued as they lost for the seventh time in nine games. They went 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position and stranded 13. They’ve lost three straight series for the first time since June, and three straight series at home for the first time since August 2018.

The Dodgers had tied the game 2-2 in the fifth when Muncy’s sacrifice fly brought in Shohei Ohtani.

But the Mets took advantage of mistakes by two Dodgers relievers to take a 5-2 lead on Starling Marte’s 432-foot home run that landed on a screen extending from the batter’s eye beyond the center field fence.

The Dodgers pulled within one run on Freddie Freeman’s two-run single in the sixth but missed on two other big scoring chances. Mets pitcher Drew Smith struck Ohtani out with the bases loaded just ahead of Freeman. With the bases loaded again, Muncy grounded to first baseman Pete Alonso, who gloved the ball near the edge of the outfield grass, dashed in and dove to tag first base for the third out.

The Dodgers look to salvage the final game of the series against the Mets on Sunday.

Dodgers’ reinforcements on the way?

Dodgers fans want to see pitcher Walker Buehler return from injury as soon as possible. Los Angeles is not in a rush, however. They want to ensure that Buehler is completely ready, both from an injury and performance standpoint, before he returns.

Although the Dodgers star is seemingly not dealing with injury trouble anymore, he did walk four batters during his most recent rehab start. Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts and the team want to see his command improve before promoting him to the MLB rotation.

Buehler has not pitched in a Major League game since 2022. He has had to undergo two Tommy John surgeries in his career already as he continues to battle back.

The Dodgers’ rotation features plenty of potential. Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow both project to be significant difference-makers in 2024. Neither pitcher has performed at a level that the team has expected yet, but they both have the talent to be elite on the mound.

Bobby Miller, who displayed signs of stardom in 2023, is currently on the injured list. Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, and Emmet Sheehan are also on the injured list.

As a result, the Dodgers have turned to James Paxton, Gavin Stone, and Landon Knack to help fill the void in the meantime.