Dodgers feel Max Muncy’s absence acutely in NLDS opener against Giants

Years from now, when the details are reduced to a few gifs and a box score, the story of Game 1 of the National League Division Series will boil down to two words: Logan Webb.

The San Francisco Giants’ starting pitcher Friday etched his name in the history books with a masterful performance against the Dodgers, throwing 7⅔ scoreless innings en route to a 4-0 victory. The last pitcher to throw seven or more shutout innings with 10 or more strikeouts in his postseason debut? The New York Mets’ Jacob deGrom in Game 1 of the 2015 NLDS at Dodger Stadium.

For the Dodgers, the game and the series might be more remarkable for a name that was absent from the box score.

Max Muncy is one of only three active players who have batted 100 times in San Francisco’s Oracle Park with an on-base plus slugging percentage above .950. The others – the Chicago Cubs’ Jason Heyward and the St. Louis Cardinals’ Paul Goldschmidt – are no longer active in the postseason.

Neither is Muncy, for all intents and purposes. He injured his left elbow on the final day of the regular season in a collision at first base. Two days later, as his teammates took batting practice, a black support brace simultaneously held Muncy’s elbow and whatever hope he has of sneaking into a game before the end of the month.

Matt Beaty took Muncy’s place at first base in Wednesday’s wild-card game against the Cardinals, and again Friday against the Giants. He is 0 for 6 in the two games.

“It’s a big bat in the middle of the order that we’re missing,” Dodgers catcher Will Smith said of Muncy. “We’re still fine without him and we have plenty of guys to drive in runs.”

While that might be true, the Dodgers do not have a player with such singular success against the Giants as Muncy. Of his 123 career home runs, 16 have come against the Giants. One homer, during a June 2019 game in San Francisco, prompted pitcher Madison Bumgarner to yell at him. Another, during a May game at Dodger Stadium, broke a 3-3 tie and lifted the Dodgers to victory.

Muncy’s 36 home runs this season ranked fourth in the National League. Beaty and Cody Bellinger, who will start at first base in Game 2 on Saturday, combined to hit just 17.

Home runs were all the difference Friday. The Giants hit three, the Dodgers none. The Dodgers also failed to draw a walk against Webb and two relievers in Game 1, and Muncy has historically helped in that department, too. His 83 walks ranked fourth in the NL this season, and he walked 20 times in 18 postseason games in 2020.

“We had the same club all night long,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “and it was a driver.”

Muncy has a home run and two walks in 15 career plate appearances against Webb. On paper, he is an ideal foe for what made Webb so good in his playoff debut.

Webb’s best pitch Friday was his changeup.

“That’s probably the most changeups I’ve thrown in a while,” he told a TBS reporter after the game, “and it was the pitch that was working so I kept going to it.”

Muncy had 22 hits against changeups thrown by left-handed pitchers this season. Only six left-handed batters had more.

The Dodgers are unlikely to see Webb again unless the series goes to a Game 5. Muncy’s absence might not be felt so acutely in the meantime. But if the Giants instilled any lasting doubt in Game 1, one of the Dodgers best suited to erase it will not be available.