Max Muncy Compares Tarik Skubal to Dodgers Legend

“I’ve never seen somebody be so normal on a start day,” Muncy said. He added that Skubal does not change his attitude or the way he interacts with teammates when it is his turn to pitch.

Muncy also recalled how Skubal approached him before that first start and began discussing something unrelated to baseball. The interaction caught him off guard because of his experience playing alongside Kershaw for several years.

“Playing with Kersh for all those years, it’s a complete opposite,” Muncy said.

Muncy acknowledged that starting pitchers have their own routines for a reason. He described how position players sometimes laugh about the preparation pitchers go through, but stressed that the team accepts those routines because of how important starting pitching is to winning games.

Skubal has backed up his reputation on the mound since joining Los Angeles. He went 5-2 with a 2.61 ERA and 70 strikeouts across 10 regular-season starts for the Dodgers after arriving from the Detroit Tigers. The left-hander also won the American League Cy Young Award in both 2024 and 2025.

Muncy’s comments come as the Dodgers prepare to face the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series. Los Angeles finished the regular season 100-62 before eliminating the Atlanta Braves in the NL Division Series, while Milwaukee advanced after defeating the San Diego Padres.

Skubal’s performance will be central to Los Angeles’ postseason plans, but Muncy’s observations offer a glimpse of how the new addition has settled into the clubhouse. His calm approach contrasts with Kershaw’s familiar routine, even as both pitchers share the responsibility of leading a team’s rotation.