Despite ending a month-long homer drought a couple of days ago, it's become clear that the Dodgers have a Max Muncy problem. Once one of the most feared left-handed bats in the game, Muncy had large chunk of his 2024 season stolen by injury. Now, with his 35th birthday approaching later on this year, it would appear that age is wearing on him as well.
Muncy's always had some swing-and-miss to his game with a career 24.9% strikeout rate. This season, despite a still healthy walk rate, his strikeout percentage has reached an untenable 31.8% through May 1, while his trademark power has evaporated.
The Dodgers' offense has largely still been potent even with Muncy adrift; however, once the unexpected power surges from the likes of Tommy Edman and Andy Pages come to an inevitable end, the team will need reliable contributions from third base. It certainly seems that Muncy is no longer able to provide that.
Fortunately for the Dodgers, a creative solution should provide the perfect alternative. They just need to muster up the courage to make it.
Inserting Will Smith at third and top prospect Dalton Rushing behind the plate is the solution to the Dodgers' Max Muncy woes
When the Dodgers agreed to a 10-year, $140 million extension with a then- 29-year-old Will Smith last March, they knew sooner rather than later he'd have to move out from behind the plate. Smith has only played one big league game at third, but the position isn't exactly foreign to him.
Coming up through the minor leagues, Smith spent some time working around the infield, getting reps at both second and his most-often-played position aside from catcher, third base. It's been a while, though. His last significant experience at the hot corner came in 2018, where he logged 43 games at the position across Double-A and Triple-A, but for a leader like Smith, the transition shouldn't come with too many growing pains.
As an added bonus, his already elite offensive production so far in 2025 where he owns a fantastic .316/.426/.500 slash line, should only get a boost without the physical toll that catching every day takes on the body.
In his stead, the Dodgers could then call up top prospect Dalton Rushing, who has put on quite the show at Triple-A Oklahoma City and looks ready to take over as the heir apparent at catcher.
After clubbing 26 home runs and posting a .271/.384/.512 line between Double-A and Triple-A in 2024, he's picked up right where he left off, beginning the season at Triple-A and posting a .316/.419/.513 line.
The 24-year-old is certainly ready with the bat and brings versatility in his own right, with experience playing both first base and left field in his minor league career. Promoting Rushing would still allow for Smith to catch occasionally while mostly supplanting Muncy in the starting lineup, giving the Dodgers the best shot to maximize the talent available to them while taking some pressure off the struggling Muncy to figure it out in a lesser role.
It might not be the most orthodox solution to the Dodgers' Muncy problem, but it is certainly more appealing than the alternatives.
