Sunday's game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves featured a defensive gem that left Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy shaking his head in disbelief—and cracking a joke about it after the game.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Dodgers trailing by four runs, and a full count, Muncy squared up a pitch and sent a scorching line drive to right field. The ball had a .954 expected batting average—essentially a sure hit. But Braves right fielder Eli White had other plans, leaping to make a spectacular catch and crashing into the wall to rob Muncy of what would have been extra bases.
"Who do I gotta pay off at this point?" Muncy joked after the game, referencing the incredible defensive play.
The ball would have been a home run in four MLB stadiums: Great American Ball Park (Reds), Comerica Park (Tigers), Yankee Stadium (Yankees), and Citizens Bank Park (Phillies). Instead of three runs crossing the plate, the Dodgers posted another zero on the scoreboard.
Los Angeles didn't score until the eighth inning, when Muncy connected for a two-run homer—his 10th of the season—to account for the Dodgers' only runs in the game. But by then, the game was all but out of reach.
"We have some guys that aren't in the spot that they want to be in right now, and they're trying to figure that out," Muncy said. "It's kind of tough to compete when you're trying to figure things out. We've preached that in the past sometimes, that you got to just forget about everything you're doing off the field, and when you get in the batter's box, you just have to compete."
The Dodgers have struggled to score consistently over the past several weeks, with most of their losses coming when they score three runs or fewer. Against the Braves over the weekend, they failed to surpass three runs in any of the three games. The series finale was particularly rough, as the Dodgers managed just two hits: Andy Pages' single in the first inning and Muncy's homer.
Adding to the offensive woes, Shohei Ohtani has drawn attention for his struggles since mid-April. In May, the two-way star has just four hits in 31 at-bats and has yet to hit a home run this month. His last long ball came on April 26 against the Chicago Cubs, and he has only one home run since April 13.
While the Dodgers have occasionally exploded for double-digit runs, consistency has been elusive. As Muncy and the team work to find their rhythm, fans can only hope the bats heat up soon—preferably before more highlight-reel catches steal their thunder.