Dodgers’ Max Muncy Calls Out Padres’ Style of Play Ahead of NLDS Game 3
The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres are getting set for a crucial Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday night.
More news: Freddie Freeman’s Status for Dodgers vs Padres NLDS Game 3 Officially Revealed
The teams enter the matchup tied at one game apiece, with Game 3 being a clear swing game in the series. If the Dodgers want to keep their season alive, they’ll have to win at least one of the next two games in San Diego.
After all the on-field drama in Game 2, and all the off-the-field drama on Monday, the teams are finally ready to just play baseball on Tuesday. But that doesn’t mean the drama is going away.
On Tuesday, Padres manager Mike Shildt appeared to take a not-so-subtle jab at Dodgers manager Dave Roberts regarding the situation revolving around Manny Machado throwing a baseball towards him in the dugout.
Read more: Padres’ Mike Shildt Takes Massive Shot At Dodgers’ Dave Roberts in Rant Defending Manny Machado
Then, Max Muncy spoke to reporters, and had some choice words for the Padres’ style of play.
Muncy was asked about the Padres trying to get under the skin of their opponents. Muncy believes that’s just part of their game. Here’s his full answer:
“I don’t know about leveling the playing field, but I think that’s definitely part of their game is they try to — as I’ve said, they play off the emotion.
“The atmosphere here plays off their emotion. And we’ve seen that for the last several years, even in regular season games. Just something as simple as a single and you see the guy throwing the bat 30 feet in the air, that really gets the crowd going here.
“That is kind of part of their game is trying to get under your skin and trying to have the emotion come out and get you to do something that you’re not normally doing.
“And just, for example, if you’re a pitcher and you see a guy doing that. And all of a sudden you want to throw harder and now you’re missing balls right over the plate. And that’s when their guys are doing the damage.
“It’s easier said than done, obviously, but you can’t let that happen.”
Muncy seems to think that a lot of what the Padres are doing is aimed at getting under the skin of their opponent. However, Muncy also knows the Dodgers need to just worry about themselves, and not let the Padres affect how they play this decisive Game 3.
With all the drama off the field, both teams likely just want to get on the field and start playing. At the end of the day, the team that shows up on the field will be moving onto the NLCS later this week.
More news: Dodgers Make NLDS Roster Change, Add Pitcher to Replaced Injured Michael Grove
Photo Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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AS WE BLUNTLY WROTE 2 DAYS AGO, FAT MAX MUNCY STINKS! HE’S AN “ALL TALK, NO WALK” STRIKEOUT WAITING TO HAPPEN, AND NOW HAS 5 K’S IN THE LAST TWO GAMES V THE PADRES. HE’S ALWAYS BEEN A MARGINAL PLAYER, AND ROBERTS’ ‘PET.’ YES, HE’S HIT SOME HOME RUNS, BUT RARELY DOES HE GIVE YOU CONSISTENT AB’S, AND CLUTCH HITS. HE’S 36 -37, HITS 220-235, AND HE NEEDS TO GO! DEFENSIVELY, HE’S A BELOW AVERAGE 3RD BASEMAN, AND HIS BATTING AVERAGE DOES NOT DESERVE HITTING IN THE VERY IMPORTANT 5TH SLOT IN THE LINEUP. ANOTHER OF ROBERTS’ PET PLAYERS, ROOKIE ANDY PAGES, REPLACED AN INJURED MIGGY ROJAS, AND WHY WOULD HE DO THAT WHEN HE HAS A SEASONED VETERAN, WHO’S CLUTCH IN THE PLAYOFFS, KIKE HERNANDEZ, SITTING ON THE BENCH? LASTLY, IN THE SAD BUT TRUE DEPARTMENT, WALKER BUEHLER, AT THIS STAGE OF HIS PITCHING CAREER, IS DONE. HE DID NOT RECORD ONE STRIKEOUT TONIGHT, AND HE JUST DOESN’T HAVE THE SHARP MOVEMENT, VELO, AND COMMAND OF HIS PITCHES THAT HE HAD BEFORE HIS LAST SURGERY. NOT MANY SWING AND MISSES, AND IT’S WHY HIS ERA IS 6. THE DODGERS MIGHT KEEP HIM ON A ONE YEAR CONTRACT BECAUSE HIS FREE AGENCY MARKET HAS DRIED UP FOR NOW. TOMORROW IS A BULLPEN GAME, AND WE THINK THE DODGERS COULD WIN IT, SENDING IT BACK TO LA ON FRIDAY. JACK FLAHERTY WILL THEN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, AS THEY SAY, “PUT YOUR PITCHES WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS!”