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Max Muncy says an illness is to blame for his recent offensive cold stretch, per staff at Dodger Blue. The 35-year-old has been battling through it over the past couple of weeks, and the timing lines up with a noticeable dip in his production at the plate. Muncy didn’t elaborate on the specifics, but he’s apparently feeling better — and the results are starting to show.

Muncy has been one of the most durable and important left-handed bats in the Dodgers’ lineup for years now. Since arriving in Los Angeles back in 2018, he’s established himself as a patient hitter with real power, someone who draws walks at an elite rate and can change a game with one swing. He’s hit 30-plus home runs multiple times in his career, made an All-Star team, and been a fixture at either third base, second base, or first base depending on the roster construction around him. At 35, the raw power numbers have dipped slightly from his peak years, but his ability to grind at-bats and get on base remains a key part of what the Dodgers do offensively. When he goes cold, the middle of the lineup feels it.

The good news is that Muncy appears to be emerging from the fog. He delivered a go-ahead three-run double in Monday’s 6-5 win over the Royals, then followed that up Tuesday night with a walk-off single in the 10th inning to give the Dodgers back-to-back wins against Kansas City. He finished Tuesday’s game 2-for-4, which is exactly the kind of multi-hit performance that had been missing during the slump. Two games don’t make a trend, but clutch hits in high-leverage moments suggest the timing and confidence are returning.

Illness-related slumps are tricky because they don’t show up on the injury report. A guy can look fine physically but be dragging through at-bats, and that’s apparently what was happening with Muncy. I’m glad he came out and said something, because it provides context for what looked like a worrying downturn. It’s not a mechanical issue. It’s not age catching up. He was just sick and grinding through it — which, frankly, is very on-brand for Muncy.

For the Dodgers, getting a locked-in Muncy back matters a lot as we push deeper into August. This lineup has dealt with injuries and inconsistency across the board, and the last thing we needed was another bat going quiet for an extended stretch. Muncy’s on-base ability and power from the left side are hard to replace, and when he’s right, he makes everyone around him in the order better. If the illness is truly behind him — and these last two games suggest it is — that’s a real boost heading into the stretch run. We need him.

Source(s): Staff (Dodger Blue) | First reported: August 12, 2026 7:25 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers