Max Muncy reveals surprising MVP of Dodgers postseason run

Jack Flaherty struggled in Game 5 of the NLCS, but that opened the door for an unsung hero to shine. Brent Honeywell stepped in during the fourth inning, pitched 4.2 innings and saved the Dodgers’ heavily indebted arms for Game 6.

“I’m not doing it for me, I’m doing it for these people here,” Honeywell said. “I love these guys. I love Doc. I love everyone here. I told (Roberts) in the dugout, “This is my game until it’s gone,” and I tried to keep us in the game.

“We had a chance to win. I felt like we turned the corner a little bit and fought back here. We knew they were going to fight tonight, it’s playoff baseball. The series is 3-2. I have to save the dogs.”

Although Honeywell left the fifth game feeling like it wasn’t going his way, what he did for the Dodgers paid off a few nights later. When he returned to the dugout in New York, Max Muncy told him, “You just won us Game 6.”

Honeywell gave up four runs on six hits, but manager Dave Roberts was still full of praise when he removed him from the game in the eighth inning. He emphasized how crucial Honeywell’s performance was in retrospect.

“It’s not always fun when you’re going through it, especially from where I’m standing,” Roberts said of the challenge of knowing if and when to use his higher-leverage relievers after falling behind by seven runs after three innings . “You have to be steadfast in the use of your pitchers because at the end of the day it’s about winning four games in a seven-game series.

“With our leverage players, especially Blake and Evan, it just wasn’t responsible to turn to them at that point in the game. So Honeywell did a fantastic job, bailed everyone out and knew there was a bullpen game coming up.”

Overall, what Honeywell did in Game 5 was about more than just that night. His effort set the Dodgers up for a decisive win in Game 6.

“That’s what a seven-game series is all about, what playoff baseball is all about,” Honeywell said. “There is a job here for everyone, every single one of us. Tonight wasn’t our night, but anything I can do to help us is what I want to do.”

In addition to his work in Game 5, Honeywell also gave Mookie Betts live batting practice.

“I fed him halfway through and said this is crazy,” Honeywell said.

Betts then reversed his postseason slump.

Photo credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

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