Towards southpaw Yusei Kikuchi on Saturday in Toronto, Gavin Lux and James Outman didn't begin, which has been the norm towards left-handed pitching this season. Max Muncy additionally sat in, which has grow to be much more of a regularity of late.
Saturday was the eleventh recreation this season that the Dodgers confronted on the other left. Lux and Outman solely began as soon as every, which is to be anticipated. Lux for the reason that begin of 2022 is hitting simply .250/.331/.350 with an 86 wRC+ towards lefties. Since reaching the majors, Outman has hit the bottom finish however lacked energy towards southpaws, hitting .248/.353/.298 with a 90 wRC+ towards them.
Muncy throughout his profession has hit lefties nicely – .222/.340/.465 with 119 wRC + – however for the reason that starting of 2022 he’s solely .168/.290/.375 with 88 wRC +. This yr Muncy is hitting .200/.323/.400 with a 105 wRC+ in 31 plate appearances towards lefties.
Muncy has began simply 5 of 11 video games towards lefties thus far this yr, which is a departure from the previous two years. In 2023, Muncy began 35 of 47 video games towards southpaws when he was lively, and in 2022 he began 29 of 45 such video games.
The distinction this yr, however clearly circuitously, has been the emergence of Andy Pages, the right-handed hitter who has began all 10 video games since being referred to as up final week, 5 every towards righties and lefties, sharing the time between middle and proper. . Pages is a direct alternative for left-handed hitting Jason Heyward. Immediately, these alternatives towards lefties dried up, at the very least someplace down the road.
Since Web page was recalled, Muncy has began simply considered one of 5 video games towards lefties, in comparison with beginning 4 of six earlier than that.
The issue right here is that Chris Taylor and Kiké Hernández, who began in left area and third base, respectively, on Saturday, haven't actually hit a lot towards anybody thus far this season. Each had key hits towards Kikuchi within the Dodgers' win on Saturday, however on the season Hernández is hitting .224/.246/.276 general whereas Taylor is simply 3-for-48, hitting .063/. 193/.063.
Taylor and Hernández are on the roster particularly to hit lefties, and they need to get again on observe. There could also be a time when there aren't sufficient hits to vary issues, however Dave Roberts has stated repeatedly that it's too early within the season to stroll away from these explicit veterans who’ve a historical past.
Though extra defense-friendly, Miguel Rojas is in the same place. He began all 11 video games towards lefties, together with eight instances at shortstop and thrice at third base for Muncy.
Rojas has he hit this season, 120 with a wRC+ within the begin with two residence runs, greater than 4 months earlier than reaching the final whole throughout final season. He additionally doubled and scored towards the Blue Jays on Saturday.
On Wednesday in Washington DC, Roberts in his pre-match scrum with reporters expressed the same sentiment concerning Rojas, though he was requested within the context of Lux doubtlessly getting extra enjoying time.
“Miguel's function on this crew is to play towards left-handed pitching, and to play when he's referred to as on in different places to play.” Roberts said Wednesday, per SportsNet LA.
The Dodgers will probably face two left-handed beginning pitchers to open the sequence towards the Diamondbacks in Phoenix. It will likely be one thing to observe how they deploy the lineup in these video games, so simply see what sort of function Muncy might have towards lefties.
