Dodgers manager Dave Roberts sheds light on Max Muncy's struggles at the plate

Los Angeles Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts & Slugger Max Muncy

Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Max Muncy has not looked like himself at the plate this year. He has struggled offensively, still looking for his first home run of the 2025 season.

He has played in 21 games, hitting .191/.291/.265 with five doubles and four runs batted in. He currently has a 0.3 WAR, which is something he has not seen since playing a quarter of the season as a rookie in 2015 and 2016.

This is far from the player Dodgers fans have seen at times carry their squad. Manager Dave Roberts, via The Athletic, shed light on why he believes his slugger is struggling with the bat in his hands.

"I just think sometimes Max gets in a position where he can't hold his backside, gets a little too quick, the swing gets long," said Roberts.

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Roberts believes Muncy's problems come from not being able to hold his backside. This causes his swing to be longer than it should, which does not help getting barrels on baseballs.

"When I'm going bad, I'm not holding my backside at all. That's always been the biggest key for me and that's also my biggest strength. When I am holding my back side, I'm really, really good. It's just not easy to do" said Muncy.

Muncy would agree with his manager on his problems. When the slugger feels he can hold that backside, he can keep his hands in, shorten the swing path, and catch balls out in front, resulting in hard contact.

Dodgers slugger Max Muncy is trending in the right direction

Los Angeles Dodgers - Max Muncy (Photo via IMAGN)

Despite struggling at the plate, Max Muncy is starting to find his rhythm. He still does not have a home run heading into Tuesday, but he has hit two of the hardest balls he has hit this season over the weekend.

He sent a ball off his bat at 106.7 mph against Hoby Miller and the Texas Rangers. He hit the ball as far as Globe Life Field would hold it, just short of clearing the outfield wall.

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With the way he was swinging over the weekend, it should not surprise many if he is able to put it all together going forward. If he does, that would not be good news for the rest of the MLB. The Dodgers are ranked second among all other teams for most home runs with 36.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Jared "Bloomy" Bloom