September 8th, 2022 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka To say that Dodgers utility infielder/designated hitter Max Muncy is hot right now would be an unfair and gross understatement. Dodgers utility infielder/designated hitter Max Muncy is on an absolute terror right now, having gone 6-for-9 (.667) with three home runs, five runs scored and six RBI … in his last two games.
In Wednesday afternoon’s series finale 7-3 win over the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium, the 32-year-old Midland, TX native went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI.
But as a surprise to many – including and especially the San Francisco Giants – in addition to his icing-on-the-cake 381-foot three-run home run to right-center field in the bottom of the eighth inning, Muncy also dropped down a perfect bunt into a huge hole down the third base line left open due to the Giants having shifted to the right side of the infield for the Dodger slugger. It was Muncy’s second successful shift-busting bunt of the season.
(SportsNet LA and Jon SooHoo)
“[Giants right-hander Alex Cobb] is a really good ground ball guy, he’s got a really good split(er), they kind of just left it open for me, and so my thought was get Freddie [Freeman] to second, let the guys behind me do their job, and it worked out for us,” Muncy told SportsNet LA’s Kirsten Watson postgame.
“It was a great baseball play and something that you can talk to players as much as you want about using that tool when it makes sense, when they’re giving it to you, but they have to ultimately make that decision themselves and in the batter’s box,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Muncy’s perfect bunt, on which he would come around to score on Justin Turner‘s subsequent three-run home run to give the Dodgers a (then) 3-2 lead.
“It was just being down two runs and them giving him the left side of the infield, for him to make that play and get it down, not rush it, see the ball down, it was just a solid baseball play. I think for me, he got a hit out of it, he’s seeing the ball really well, and there’s just no downside,” added the Dodgers skipper.
There you have it – the long and the short of it.
Play Ball!
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MLB wouldn’t have to ban shifts if batters learned how to bunt. Managers would just stop shifting.
Agree 1,000%.
I am still amazed, shocked, disappointed that more managers (ESPECIALLY Roberts) didn’t have their guys frequently bunt to beat the shift. As such, managers who favor(ed) the shift have only themselves to blame for losing it.
I loved the Muncy bunt! I was more excited about the bunt than JT’s HR. My philosophy is if they are giving it to you take it.
Same.