/Associated Press/Associated Press"The first week-and-a-half http://www.metsfanproshop.com/authentic-tim-tebow-jersey , two weeks of spring training, I don't know if he made an out," Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner says. "It's been fun to watch. "Muncy did not break camp with the Dodgers but was summoned from, yes, Oklahoma City on April 17 after infielder Logan Forsythe injured his shoulder. In his first game, in San Diego, Muncy cracked a pinch-hit single. In his second at-bat the next day, Muncy ripped a home run off the Padres' Luis Perdomo."I don't think he's stopped since," Dodgers outfielder and first baseman Cody Bellinger says. "Quality at-bats, day in and day out."As he rakes, his teammates have moved from intrigued and wowed to wholly appreciative. Not simply of Muncy's emergence, but also of an organization that continues to dominate the secondhand market the way Muncy dominates the strike zone.This is the third time that a reclamation project has blossomed into a prime-time player in Los Angeles in recent seasons. The Dodgers plucked Turner off the scrap heap in 2014 after the New York Mets released him, and he went on to hit .294 with 16 homers and 60 RBI in 2015. They traded with the Seattle Mariners for infielder Chris Taylor in 2016, and he went on to hit .288 with 21 homers and 72 RBI last year.Justin Turner says the Dodgers welcome reclamation projects like Max Muncy.Gregory Bull/Associated Press/Associated PressNow, Muncy."It's a good thing that, compared to other teams, we know how to find talent," closer Kenley Jansen says. "It shows you why they talk about the depth we have in this organization."Says Turner: "I think it's a product of the culture we have around here, the environment. The way everyone is treated. I've been on teams where there is an obvious separation between the veterans and the young guys. That doesn't exist here. When someone comes up, we see him helping us win ballgames. We see it with Muncy now; we saw it with Belly [Bellinger] last year."Always, Muncy has known his way around the strike zone. Dodgers starter Ross Stripling faced him in high school (Stripling pitched for Carroll High in Southlake, Texas) and in college (Muncy played at Baylor, Stripling at Texas AM). Though they didn't get to know each other until both became Dodgers, Stripling certainly knew enough of Muncy to try to avoid him when they were in school."He's always been a guy who absolutely commands the zone," Stripling says. "If you throw it over the middle of the plate, he's going to whack it. He's always been that guy. My two losses against Baylor were basically his fault. I think he hit a game-winning single and a game-winning sacrifice fly off of me my junior and senior years."Stipling says he thinks Muncy struggled with the A's because he wasn't getting consistent playing time: "He was playing all over the place and was having a hard time finding a routine. Over here, he got in the big leagues and got a chance to show what he could do everyday, which is command the zone Devin Mesoraco Jersey , get on base and hit for slug [slugging percentage] when pitchers make mistakes."Muncy says his hitting coach in Oklahoma City, Shawn Wooten, and his father helped him fine-tune not only his approach at the plate, but also his mental game during the difficult times in 2017. After his release from Oakland and before the Dodgers signed him, Muncy and his agent even investigated professional opportunities in Japan and South Korea."It's been a whirlwind of emotions, a whirlwind of talks, not knowing if I was ever going to play baseball again,"Muncysays."Was a team going to give me a chance? Was I ever going to make it back to the major leagues? Was I going to be a career minor leaguer? You never know. There are not really words for me to describe it other than crazy and unbelievable."Lee Muncy says he thinks the turbocharge that boosted his son into this new stage of his career is confidence born of desperation."I think when they released him he realized, 'I can't be conservative. I have to be more aggressive and sure of myself,'" Lee says.Max agrees, and as he speaks, the metaphorical odometer counting the miles between him and that Oklahoma City Sheraton continues to practically do cartwheels, the distance traveled so mind-blowing. Take the Home Run Derby, for instance."Incredible experience," Muncy says. "It was something very special to me, especially having my dad there. Growing up, it was something my dad and I always watched together. Obviously, you had the All-Star Game, but we always thought the Derby was the coolest thing to watch, and having him there was very cool."Max Muncy crushes a pitch in the Home Run Derby.Patrick Semansky/Associated PressAs Lee, a geologist in the international oil and gas industry, sat watching the Derby, there was this, too: So far, the family has made one journey to Los Angeles this season to watch Max. It came during the first Dodgers homestand after he was called up to the majors. In town that late April weekend were the Washington Nationals.Now, here he sat as the Home Run Derby unfolded鈥n Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.Forget the past year. Simply from April to now, who could have conjured up this?"You know what?" Midge says. "We've learned to just go with it.""Unbelievable http://www.metsfanproshop.com/authentic-tim-tebow-jersey ," Lee says. "It really is a surreal situation. Happy, surprised, wonderful."Then, after the Derby, Max disappeared with his family to their vacation home in the Finger Lakes, and next thing he knew, not only were the Dodgers acquiring superstar Manny Machado, but everyone was speculating on whether Max would be asked to give up his No. 13, which had been Machado's jersey number with the Baltimore Orioles."I was never asked. I was never told anything about it. I just know I was at our family lakehouse, found out we got Machado, and we were all excited," Muncy says. "Me and my family were talking about how he probably would want that number, and what number would you go with now?"I didn't know what was available, what numbers can I get. So I started thinking about it, but I never received any calls, texts, emails ... then I showed up in Milwaukee and everyone said he had chosen No. 8. I was fully prepared to give up No. 13."Max Muncy and the other Dodgers infielders confer during a pitching change.Dylan Buell/Getty ImagesInstead, as he solidifies his MLB resume one home run at a time, maybe this simply is the latest indicator that in his seventh professional season鈥ith his second organization鈥s he bounces around the infield from third base to second base to first base, even playing some outfield as well鈥aybe Maxwell Steven Muncyhas finallymade it.Dare he feel that way?"I should have had a moment like that," he says. "But I think because of how crazy this year has been, I still haven't."He thinks for a minute鈥攁nother strike zone to conquer tonight, a Los Angeles stretch run close enough to reach out and touch, the Oklahoma City Sheraton still there but fading in his rear-view mirror."Probably," he continues, "that's helping me out in not getting content with where I'm at."Scott Miller covers Major League Baseball as a national columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow Scott on Twitter and talk baseball. CHICAGO (AP) — Luis Severino has been working on his slider with New York Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild.It’s beginning to pay off, too.Severino pitched seven effective innings in his first win in a month, Giancarlo Stanton hit his first grand slam in four years and the Yankees swept the Chicago White Sox with a 7-3 victory on Wednesday night.Aaron Hicks also homered as wild card-leading New York closed out a 3-4 trip with its third consecutive win. While Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez remain sidelined by injuries Pedro Martinez Jersey , the Yankees posted their first road series sweep of at least three games since a weekend set against the Angels from April 27-29.“It’s not easy for us right now,” manager Aaron Boone said. “For us to come in here and grind out these wins I think is huge.”The Yankees bounced back nicely after they were swept by the big league-best Red Sox, an ugly four-game set that included Severino’s third straight loss. The ace right-hander was a little better this time around, striking out eight while moving into a tie for the major league lead with his career-best 15th win.Severino (15-5) retired 11 in a row after the White Sox used three straight hits to open a 2-0 lead in the first. After Tim Anderson led off the fifth with his 15th homer, Severino fanned the next two batters, and Austin Romine threw out Yoan Moncada trying to steal second.“A lot of good sliders. The changeup was a factor again tonight,” Boone said. “So hopefully another step forward for him.”Severino said he felt better about his slider after working with Rothschild on the shape of the pitch.“I was in control. I wasn’t missing like a couple outings ago,” he said. “I was on top of the ball.”White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito (7-9) was tagged for seven runs and six hits in five innings in his first loss in a month. He was 2-0 with a 3.42 ERA in his previous four starts.Giolito unraveled for a while in the second, beginning with Gleyber Torres‘ leadoff walk on four pitches. After Miguel Andujar struck out, the next five batters reached safely.“I lost all my rhythm, I lost all my tempo,” Giolito said. “Four-pitch walk on uncompetitive pitches to open the inning. Kind of just spiraled from there.”Romine and Shane Robinson had consecutive RBI singles, tying it at 2. Brett Gardner was hit by a pitch before Stanton went the other way for his 27th homer, connecting for a high-arcing drive that landed just inside the foul pole in right.It was Stanton’s first slam since April 18, 2014, for Miami against Seattle and No. 6 for his career. He also homered in New York’s 4-3 victory Tuesday night.“Good to get a sweep here,” he said. “Let Boston be in the past, and look ahead to what we need to do.”Hicks added a leadoff drive in the fifth for his 19th homer. His previous career high was 15 last year.Chicago (41-73) had won a season-high four straight before the sweep by New York (71-42). Jose Abreu and Daniel Palka each had two hits and drove in a run for the White Sox.“At the end of the day, the outcome wasn’t the one we wanted for us,” Abreu said through a translator. “But I think it was a very good collective effort for the team.”RESTINGYankees shortstop Didi Gregorius got the day off. Gregorius played every inning in New York’s previous eight games since it was last off on July 30, including Tuesday night’s 13-inning win.BUGGING OUTSecond base umpire Bruce Dreckman had a bug removed from his ear with the help of Yankees trainer Steve Donohue during the ninth inning. The bug was plucked out with a pair of tweezers and was still fluttering its wings after the ordeal.TRAINER’S ROOMYankees: LHP Aroldis Chapman experienced some general soreness after he threw 39 pitches while blowing a save opportunity Sunday night at Boston. But the All-Star closer was available for the series finale against Chicago. “I feel much better,” Chapman said through a translator.UP NEXTYankees: LHP J.A. Happ (11-6, 4.05 ERA) is slated to start the opener of a season-long 11-game homestand Thursday night against Texas. Happ is coming off the disabled list after being sidelined by hand, foot and mouth disease. Right-hander Chance Adams was optioned to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre to make room on the roster.White Sox: Following an off day, LHP Carlos Rodon (3-3, 2.94 ERA) starts the opener of a three-game series against Cleveland on Friday night. Rodon is 2-0 with a sparkling 1.56 ERA over his last five games. Rookie RHP Shane Bieber (6-2, 4.58 ERA) pitches for the visiting Indians.