Dodgers News: Max Muncy isn't Fazed by San Diego's Flashy Offseason

Despite the quiet offseason, the Dodgers infielder thinks LA is still the team to beat.

Los Angeles hasn’t made much noise this offseason, while teams like the Padres have made moves that have caused many to believe that San Diego could be a threat in the National League West.

Looking at some of the pieces on the Padres’ 2023 roster, the team brought back Robert Suarez and Nick Martinez while signing Matt Carpenter, Nelson Cruz, Seth Lugo, and Xander Bogaerts.

San Diego has certainly sparked a lot more activity compared to LA. While that may worry some, Dodgers infielder Max Muncy is not at all fazed by it. He shared his stance on a recent episode of Dodgers Nation:

“Yeah, the Padres made a lot of good moves. They were already an extremely good team, they’re going to be tough to beat, there’s no doubt about that. But that’s what makes baseball fun. It’s going to be a battle out there every single night for us. And it’s something that a lot of the guys on this team are used to. We’re used to everyone coming after us. It’s not going to be any different. Nothing’s going to get handed to us and it’s never been that way.”

The Padres eliminated the Dodgers from the playoffs last year, which can only make Muncy and the rest of the team more hungry to compete this season.

After all, the Dodgers won 111 games last year and still have the ability to shape their way into another solid standing in 2023. Last year, the Padres finished 22 games behind LA in the regular season. 

With as strong of a record as LA earned in 2022, Muncy talked about how this team knows what it takes to win:

“I mean, we’re always going to think we’re the team to beat. We have to have that mindset. As far as I’m concerned, we’re still the ones on top. We’ve won the division, what is it, eight out of the last nine years, or nine out of the last ten years, I don’t know how long it is at this point. We are still the Dodgers and as far as I’m concerned we’re still an extremely good team.

Muncy believes that Los Angeles has all the right pieces to stand out within the division. As long as L.A. reaches the postseason, they will still have a good shot at running it back for another championship.

The Dodgers may have not made $300 million moves this offseason, but nevertheless, Muncy is confident that they're still the top dog in the West.