Dodgers' Max Muncy Makes Decision After Diagnosis

“Anything that could take a little bit of the pressure off my back eye when I’m hitting and maybe allow me to see just a little bit better, at this point, why not try it?” Muncy said. 

“In this game, how hard everyone’s throwing now and the movement they have, every little advantage you might be able to get, you might as well take it. That’s why I’m trying them out right now.”

Muncy, now 34 years old, could simply be facing the effects of Father Time as he nears the twilight of his playing days. But he is still taking the right approach. Rather than sulk about a slump, he is looking for alternative methods to get back on track.

With Tommy Edman and Teoscar Hernández on the 10-day injured list, the Dodgers need more out of the bottom and middle of the order. Sure, the three-headed monster of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman is as lethal as it comes in all of baseball.

Will Smith is no slouch, and Andy Pages has been surprisingly excellent at the plate. However, for Los Angeles to repeat as World Series champions, something at the forefront of all Dodgers fans' minds, guys like Muncy need to step up this summer.

Perhaps the biggest concern with Muncy has been a lack of slugging (one home run) as he has consistently reached the 30-home run mark in his Los Angeles tenure. From 2018-23, the first five years of his Dodgers career, saw 38 home runs per 162 games.

That pace feels unlikely given his slow start, but he is still a legitimate power hitter who can provide this lineup with an under-the-radar boost. Maybe enhanced vision will unlock his bat.