Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy credits improvements in his mental health and the support of the team's mental skills coach for helping sustain his career and return to an All-Star level of play. Muncy, the longest-tenured active player on the Dodgers, was named an All-Star on Saturday, marking his first selection in five years, an achievement he partly attributes to the work he has done with the team’s mental skills coach, Brent Walker.

The Dodgers hired Walker in the 2020 offseason as part of an expanded focus on player well-being, with team president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman involving players like Muncy, Clayton Kershaw, and Justin Turner in the interview process. Since then, Walker’s role has had a significant impact on individual players and the organization, which has since won back-to-back World Series titles.

Muncy’s journey underscores the challenges of maintaining mental resilience in professional baseball. After being designated for assignment by the Oakland Athletics in 2017, Muncy was out of baseball and nearly retired. He described feeling liberated when released, free from the pressures and expectations that had weighed on him early in his career. Two years later, Muncy hit a walk-off home run in the 2018 World Series for the Dodgers, highlighting a dramatic turnaround.

In his early years, Muncy struggled with confidence and fitting in, factors that diminished his enjoyment of the game and led him to contemplate retirement. His mindset shifted notably after he signed with the Dodgers on a minor league deal. Nevertheless, the pressures of staying at the top level and coping with injuries remained daunting. He suffered a significant elbow injury in 2021 and faced subsequent setbacks, which deepened the mental and physical challenges he needed to overcome.

Walker, who holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. in sports psychology, draws on his own experience as a former collegiate pitcher whose career was derailed by a loss of confidence. His personal story has helped him connect with players like Muncy, fostering trust and open communication. Their conversations range from brief check-ins during practice to in-depth discussions in the clubhouse, aiming to help Muncy recognize and counteract negative thought patterns before they escalate.

Muncy and Walker’s collaboration has been especially vital during Muncy’s injury rehabs, periods marked by isolation and uncertainty over his future performance. Balancing family life with the demands of professional sports adds another layer of complexity to Muncy’s mental load. The player and his wife Kellie have three children, contributing to the multifaceted pressures he manages.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has observed Muncy’s mental growth firsthand, noting that the player no longer reacts as intensely to setbacks and displays greater consistency. Friedman emphasized the organization’s player-centric approach, with management frequently consulting players about decisions to ensure their well-being is prioritized.

For Muncy, engaging openly with mental health resources has been key to his resilience and continued success. “As athletes, as men, we tend to shy away from that kind of stuff, but it’s important to have someone that you know you can talk to about it,” he said.

Walker describes Muncy’s journey as a testament to perseverance. “In many ways, it’s a story of resiliency,” he said, highlighting the combination of mental conditioning and self-awareness behind Muncy’s sustained performance.