Pull hitters were the ones who suffered the most with the shift.
Naturally, the opposing team’s infield would put more people in that pull side, lowering the chances of the ball getting to the outfield and increasing the odds of the play ending in an out.
MLB, however, is banning the shift starting from this season.
Now, teams will be required to have two fielders on each side of second base at the moment of making the pitch.
This will benefit pull-heavy hitters like Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Max Muncy.
Muncy pulled about half of the balls he hit: 49.2 percent to be exact.
He was frequently shifted against, and that, combined with other factors, resulted in a mediocre .196 batting average in 2022.
Things could be about to change for the power-hitting Muncy.
We are starting to see it in live batting practice and intra-squad games.
This ball snuck through the infield for a hit. “Yeah, don’t shift!” Muncy cheered as he rounded first. https://t.co/4Et2meNEtQ
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) February 23, 2023
The footage above must have been a hilarious moment.
As stated, Muncy is surely happy he will have more opportunities to score a few more base hits to increase that batting average.
He has the potential to have a very productive season in the right circumstances.
He has three seasons of at least a .249 batting average and 35 home runs.
That’s certainly significant, and the most recent of those came in 2021.
He hasn’t forgotten how to hit.
He just needs health; and a normal infield wouldn’t hurt, too.
The Dodgers have endured some important losses in the offseason, so they need Muncy to be at the top of his game.
He is certainly capable of big things.
NEXT:
Dodgers Hype Up Another Year Of Clayton Kershaw
