The Dodgers announced Thursday that they’ve agreed to a one-year contract extension with third baseman Max Muncy. He’s now guaranteed an additional $10MM in the form of a $7MM salary in 2027 and a $3MM buyout on a $10MM club option for the 2028 campaign. Muncy is repped by Hub Sports Management.
As can be seen in a quick look at MLBTR’s Contract Tracker, this is the fourth extension of the past six years between the two parties. Muncy signed a three-year. $26MM contract covering his arbitration years back in 2020 and gave up control over his first free-agent season via a club option in that process. In Aug. 2022, he agreed to a new deal that saw his 2023 club option picked up in advance, with the Dodgers tacking on another year of control via a club option for the 2024 season. Following the 2023 campaign, the Dodgers renegotiated a two-year, $24MM deal with a $10MM club option for the 2026 season, which the club exercised back in November.
The new deal now covers Muncy’s age-36 season (2027) and gives the Dodgers a net $7MM decision on his age-37 campaign. With this contract, he’s effectively locked into spending an entire decade with L.A., as he made his Dodgers debut in 2018 after being cut loose by the A’s and signing a minor league deal.
Muncy will go down as one of the best minor league pickups in recent memory. He immediately broke out in Los Angeles, slashing .263/.391/.582 with 35 home runs in his debut Dodger campaign. He’s been a well above-average offensive performer in each of his eight seasons with L.A. so far, save for the 2020 campaign when his .192/.331/.398 slash checked in a bit shy of average overall (98 wRC+).
Injuries have hobbled Muncy in recent seasons, but he’s remained a threat in the batter’s box whenever healthy. He was limited to 100 games last season thanks to a bone bruise in his knee and an oblique strain, but Muncy still delivered a .243/.376/.470 slash with 19 home runs and a massive (career-high) 16.5% walk rate in the 388 plate appearances he was able to take. He’s averaged just 111 games per season over the past four years and regularly hits for a low average, but his impeccable patience and well above-average power continue to make him a productive player.
Muncy will reach 10 years of major league service on the 145th day of the 2026 season. At that point, he’ll gain 10-and-5 rights (10 years of service, the past five with the same team), granting him full veto rights over any potential trade scenario. Today’s extension all but locks him into third base at Dodger Stadium for the next two seasons. Muncy hasn’t been an option at second base in years now, and across the infield Freddie Freeman is signed through the 2027 season. Shohei Ohtani, of course, will continue to take the team’s at-bats at designated hitter.
Muncy’s glovework has always drawn mixed reviews, and that’s been no different in recent seasons. Defensive Runs Saved has pegged him as an above-average third baseman in each of the past two seasons, while Statcast felt he was average in 2024 and a fair bit below average in 2025. The Dodgers, clearly, are comfortable with any defensive concessions they’ll need to make to keep Muncy’s perpetually excellent on-base percentage and plus power in the lineup — at least against right-handed pitching.
While Muncy crushed fellow lefties early in his career, his numbers in left-on-left matchups have gone south recently. He still held his own against southpaws in 2024 but was well below average in 2023 and again in 2025, when he hit just .157/.250/.314 in 80 plate appearances. Platoon options at third base for the Dodgers include veteran Miguel Rojas and switch-hitting top infield prospect Alex Freeland.
And some folks were calling his time with the LA over. Pretty cheap I think for Max tbh.
Was about to say the same thing. Dude has had a very impressive tenure and now also has 3 rings, going on 4.
While others saw this coming. We should expect Freeman to get a similar extension next year.
Wouldn’t surprise me to see a two-year extension anytime between now and a year from now.
If he keeps hitting World Series Walk Off Home Runs, then he deserves far more than $10 Million.
actually, he hit like 214 in the postseason was not very good on defense last year, constantly has injuries, all of which because he’s such a beloved player in the organization, gets pretty much ignored. I think it’s a reasonable to assume he will have a massive decline.
When will his decline begin?
He also hit a moonshot against Yeasavage that set up Miggy Ro’s 9th inning heroics, and perfectly started the wheel play against the Phillies in the NLDS. The funny thing for me about fielding metrics is the two types we see used in articles like this rarely agree. One will say + and the other -, and it’s not even consistently that one metric is the bullish one.
What I know is the Dodgers told Muncy to keep staying on the team he needed to focus and improve on his defense at 3B, and the one year extension and previous option being picked up suggests he did what they asked. That’s what matters to me, does the best run team in the sport think Max Muncy is worth keeping around? They’ve answered a resounding yes.
No question. He’s been worth 2.9-3.6 wins for 4 straight seasons. That is worth more than double the salary.
Even with his limits as a player, these deals he keeps taking are such insanely club friendly deals
Year Production Salary
2025 $23 $15
2024 $18 $10
2023 $20 $14
2022 $16 $13
2021 $36 $9
What is the ‘production’ figure you list? Is that what he earned after incentives?
Edit: Nevermind, I’m an idiot
He always takes incredibly team friendly deals and they always seem to get done on the early side by a year or two.
How long before the first sarcastic “Dodgers are ruining baseball” comment?
The Dodgers are ruining baseball…lol. This is not the deal to argue that point.
Eh, at this point the comment is showing up every time the Dodgers do something or any large deal is announced.
It’s been Max Muncy helping the Dodgers ruin baseball all along.
Dodgers are ruining baseball
Very impressive 136 ops+ last season. Could have gotten more money on the free agent market. I respect his decision to stay with the champs.
The Dodgers picked up a team option on him. He wasn’t going to be a FA.
These guys need to stop the insane contracts 😁
For the 2nd best (by mlb ranking last week) 3rd baseman, that’s a hell of a deal.
The comment made during that MLB Top 10 3rd basemen show that Muncy isn’t a 3rd baseman, he just stands there was pretty funny. Accurate too.
3 DRS would suggest otherwise.
Fangraphs: OAA -5. FRV -4. He’s on the MLB list because of his bat.
OAA and FRV frequently lack context and definitely seem to have issues rating performance at Dodger Stadium. Both he and Betts score out much better with DRS. While Muncy isn’t a Ke’Bryan Hayes level wiz, he is a competent defender who provides value. That wheel play and snare in the playoffs should say something.
So you are saying the second best third base in all of baseball is not a good third baseman? Lol
He’s a good hitter. Below average w/the glove. Yeah. That’s what I’m saying. You’re just saying that “The Shredder” has named him “the second best third baseman in all of baseball.” He’s not. He’s a good bat w/a weak glove. Prove to me that he’s the 2nd best glove at 3rd base. Go ahead. Waste your time.
Real fans remember Scioscia’s and Muncy’s HRs.
His home run in game 7 to cut the Blue Jays lead to 1 was so huge.
And was off a nasty lefty
Muncy be making some bank yo
Good on him after getting cut
He could make more money but look who he gets to play with!! He makes a great living and wins championships! What more could he want?
hOw MuCh DeFfeRrEd?
this guy could get paid if he wanted to. his stats support it. but I love the loyalty between Max and the Dodgers. that’s how baseball use to be
His agent is Notboras and he plays for Nottheyankees so it’s good all around.
Good luck cashing those 2027 paychecks
Can’t complain when he’s signing these bargain deals….
Happy for Funky Muncy. The guy is a class act and loves being a Dodger.
Found a little extra money under the couch cushions
I like these win win deals. Yes Muncy has left some mo ey on the table but he’s still incredibly wealthy meanwhile he’s playing and winning where he likes and the fans love him.
Great for Muncy. Now spend some money on a real 3B instead of throwing bazooka money on grossly over-rated oft injured RF.
Sign JUSTIN TURNER at least platoon with Muncy.
Turner can’t play defense anymore. Certainly not at a level better than Muncy.
Muncy’s extension is obviously the icing on the cake for a MLB lockout. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The problem with the Dodgers is that they are top of the prospect rankings, but the prospects can not get on the MLB roster, because they are blocked by players they sign for these mega deals that last years. Then they complain about the prospects want to move on to play for another team, feeling that they have a better chance to be in the majors.
Who is saying any of that?
The Dodgers are saving baseball.
Once again THE DODGERS ARE RUINING BASEBALL!!!!!!!!! And BTW, how much is deferred?
Muncy quite clearly loves living in L.A. and wants to retire a Dodger. He could easily get more money elsewhere.
My guess is that this is also insurance for Freeman retiring after 2027. Muncy has played competently at 1B before and could slide over as a cheap bridge.
Good deal. Good story. I like it
As the article stated, he was cut by the A’s and Dodgers gave him a chance and he’s been producing ever since. I like his workman approach, seems humble and willing to do whatever the Dodgers ask.
Compare this to the 3rd baseman the Angels signed a few years back. Any wonder why Dodgers go to playoffs and wear rings while the Angels can’t play even .500 ball. The Dodgers are a well-run organization.
27 career WAR and the dude has made a “mere” 62MM, (72MM next year) – basically the same as Byron Buxton