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Max Muncy

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For the shortstop born in 2002, see Max Muncy (shortstop).
Max Muncy
Muncy with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018
Los Angeles Dodgers – No. 13
Infielder
Born: (1990-08-25) August 25, 1990 (age 34)
Midland, Texas, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 25, 2015, for the Oakland Athletics
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Batting average.228
Hits679
Home runs195
Runs batted in537
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Maxwell Steven Muncy (born August 25, 1990) is an American professional baseball infielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball for the Baylor Bears. He was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the fifth round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft. He played in MLB for the Athletics in 2015 and 2016 and later joined the Dodgers in 2018, winning the World Series with the team in 2020 and 2024.

Career

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Amateur career

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Muncy attended Keller High School in Keller, Texas.[1] The Cleveland Indians selected him in the 41st round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft.[2]

He did not sign with Cleveland and attended Baylor University. He played college baseball for the Baylor Bears from 2010 to 2012, and also played collegiate summer baseball for the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2010 and 2011.[3][4] In his three years at Baylor, Muncy had a .311 batting average with 27 home runs. He was twice chosen to the All-Big 12 Conference team.[5]

Oakland Athletics

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Muncy with the Oakland Athletics in 2015

The Oakland Athletics selected Muncy in the fifth round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft.[6] He made his professional debut with the Burlington Bees of the Single-A Midwest League, hitting .275 with four home runs in 64 games.[7] He started the 2013 season with the Stockton Ports of the High-A California League before being promoted to the Midland RockHounds of the Double-A Texas League.[8] At the time of his promotion he was leading the California League with 21 home runs and 76 runs batted in (RBIs). In total, Muncy hit .273 with 25 home runs and 100 RBIs.[7] After the season, he played for the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League.[9][10] He returned to Midland in 2014, where he hit .264 in 122 games.[7]

Muncy began the 2015 season with the Nashville Sounds of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League (PCL), hitting .274 in 60 games.[7] He was promoted to the major leagues on April 25 after an injury to second baseman Ben Zobrist.[11] He made his debut as the starting third baseman against the Houston Astros and had one hit (a seventh inning single to center field off Scott Feldman) in four at-bats.[12] On May 17, he hit his first major league home run off of Chicago White Sox pitcher Jeff Samardzija.[13] He batted .206 in 45 games for Oakland in 2015[14] and split the 2016 season between Nashville and Oakland, batting .186 in 51 major league games[15] and .251 in 64 minor league games.[7]

On January 3, 2017, Muncy was designated for assignment,[16] cleared waivers and was sent outright to Nashville on January 10.[17] The Athletics released him towards the end of spring training on April 3.[1][18]

Los Angeles Dodgers

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Muncy signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 27, 2017, and the organization assigned him to the Oklahoma City Dodgers of the PCL.[19] In 109 games, he hit .309 with 12 homers and 44 RBIs.[20]

2018: Breakout season

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Muncy with the Dodgers in 2018

Muncy was called up to the Dodgers on April 17, 2018.[21] He hit his 20th home run for the Dodgers in his 183rd at bat, setting a franchise record.[22] Muncy was chosen as a candidate for the All-Star Final Vote for the 2018 MLB All-Star Game,[23] but he finished in third place in the voting.[24] He also accepted an offer to participate in the Home Run Derby during the All-Star break.[25] After beating Javier Báez in the first round of the Derby, he lost to eventual champion Bryce Harper in the semi-finals.[26]

Muncy batted .263 and led the Dodgers in home runs and was fifth in the National League with 35. He was second in runs batted in for the Dodgers with 79, despite only playing in 137 games. Muncy also exhibited his versatility as he started games at first base (58), third base (30), and second base (13) and also played six games in the outfield.[14] In the playoffs, he hit only .182 in both the Division Series and the National League Championship Series, though he did hit two home runs in the Division Series against the Atlanta Braves.[14]

In the third game of 2018 World Series against the Boston Red Sox, Muncy scored the tying run in the 13th inning and then hit a walk-off home run in the 18th, concluding the longest game in World Series history after seven hours and 20 minutes.[27] In the five games of the series, he hit .235 (four hits in 17 at-bats) with the one home run.[14]

2019: First all-star appearance

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In 2019, Muncy was selected to the 2019 Major League Baseball All-Star Game as an injury replacement, his first all-star appearance, replacing Washington Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon.[28] On August 30, 2019, Muncy was placed on injured list with a wrist fracture.[29] He finished the 2019 regular season, playing in 142 games, hitting .251/.374/.515 with 35 home runs (for the second season in a row) and a career-high 98 RBIs. Muncy also received two MVP votes.[14]

2020: World Series championship

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On February 6, 2020, the Dodgers and Muncy agreed to a three-year, $26 million contract extension with a $13 million option for a fourth year.[30] The 2020 season was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in North America. Muncy played in 58 of the Dodgers' 60 games and hit .192/.331/.389 with 12 homers and 27 RBIs. In Game 3 of the 2020 NLCS, Muncy hit a grand slam off of Grant Dayton, capping off scoring 11 runs in the first inning. Eventually, the Dodgers broke the record in that game hitting 5 home runs. They won 15–3 as they won the NLCS in seven games against the Atlanta Braves before advancing to the World Series for the third time in four years.[14] In the 2020 World Series, he batted .318 with one home run and six RBIs and helped the Dodgers win the championship.[14]

2021: 100 career home runs and second all-star appearance

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On May 30, 2021, Muncy hit his 100th career home run off of Zack Littell of the San Francisco Giants.[31] In July, he was selected to represent the Dodgers at the All-Star Game.[32] Muncy finished the 2021 season batting .249/.368/.527 with 36 home runs and 94 RBIs.[14] In the final game of the regular season, Muncy dislocated his elbow when Jace Peterson of the Milwaukee Brewers collided with his arm while he was attempting to field the ball at first base, making him unavailable for the playoffs.[33]

2022

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Muncy played in 136 games in 2022, with most of his starts at third base after the team acquired Freddie Freeman to play first. He hit a career-low .196 with 21 homers and 69 RBIs.[14] On August 22, 2022, he signed a one-year contract extension worth $13.5 million for the 2023 season, which also included a $10 million club option for 2024, with incentives.[34] In the 2022 NLDS, Muncy had four hits including a home run in 14 at-bats.[14]

2023

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Muncy remained the primary third baseman in 2023, playing in 135 games with a .212 batting average, 36 homers and a career-high 105 RBI.[14] He had 11 at-bats in three games during as the Dodgers were swept in the 2023 NLDS by the Arizona Diamondbacks, recording only two hits.[14] After the season, Muncy signed a two-year, $24 million contract extension with the Dodgers that also contained a $10 million club option for 2026.[35]

2024

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Muncy in April 2024

On May 5, 2024, Muncy had four hits, including a career-high three home runs against the Atlanta Braves.[36] He was placed on the injured list with an oblique strain on May 17,[37] and was transferred to the 60–day injured list following a setback on June 21.[38] Muncy made his return on August 19 against the Seattle Mariners, hitting a two-run home run in the game.[39] In 73 games, he batted .232 with 15 home runs and 48 RBI.[14] Muncy had three hits (including a home run) in 18 at-bats in the 2024 NLDS.[14]

In Game 3 of the 2024 NLCS against the New York Mets, Muncy hit his 13th career post-season homerun, tying the Dodgers franchise record (previously set by Justin Turner and Corey Seager).[40] He also reached base all five time he came to bat in the game, with three walks, a single and the homer, becoming the fourth player in franchise history to accomplish that after Gil Hodges (Game 2 of the 1956 World Series), Manny Ramirez (Game 4 of the 2008 NLCS) and Will Smith (Game 3 of the 2020 NLDS).[41] He reached base his first four at-bats in Game 4 as well, extending his on base streak to 12 straight appearances, a record for a single playoff series and tied with Reggie Jackson for overall playoff appearances.[42] He hit .333 in the series, with two home runs, four RBI and 11 walks.[14] However, his success did not carry over to the 2024 World Series, where he was hitless in 16 at-bats with 10 strikeouts and only three walks.[14]

Personal life

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Muncy and his wife, Kellie, married in November 2018.[43] They welcomed a daughter in July 2021.[44]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Olney, Buster (July 8, 2018). "Olney: Max Muncy's journey from out of MLB to out of this world". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  2. ^ "Max Muncy Class of 2009 – Player Profile". Perfect Game. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  3. ^ "#9 Max Muncy (2010)". pointstreak.com. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  4. ^ "#9 Max Muncy (2011)". pointstreak.com. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  5. ^ Clair, Michael (July 5, 2018). "Max Muncy facts and history". MLB.com. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
  6. ^ "Baseball Trio Selected in MLB Draft". BaylorBears.com. June 5, 2012. Archived from the original on February 13, 2017. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Max Muncy Amateur, College & Minor League Statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  8. ^ "TEXAS LEAGUE BASEBALL: Muncy makes a return to Midland with RockHounds". Odessa American. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  9. ^ Miller, Harrell (November 8, 2013). "Max Muncy looking to find stroke in Arizona Fall League". Napa Valley Register. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  10. ^ Melotte, Nick (October 5, 2013). "2013 Arizona Fall League Preview: Mesa Solar Sox". Minor League Ball. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
  11. ^ Koo, Jeremy F. (April 25, 2015). "Oakland A's place Ben Zobrist on disabled list, activate Max Muncy". Athletics Nation. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
  12. ^ "Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics Box Score: April 25, 2015". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  13. ^ "Jeff Samardzija pitches White Sox to 1st series sweep in Oakland in 18 years". ESPN.com. Associated Press. May 17, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Max Muncy Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  15. ^ Brown, Tim (October 18, 2016). "Dodgers slugger Max Muncy's resurgence". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
  16. ^ "A's bring back Rajai Davis, DFA Max Muncy". 247sports.com. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  17. ^ "A's outright Max Muncy to Triple-A". whitecleatbeat.com. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  18. ^ Crawford, Brad (April 3, 2017). "Oakland A's release Max Muncy and Josh Rodriguez". Oakland Clubhouse. Scout.com. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  19. ^ Stephen, Eric (April 28, 2017). "Dodgers sign Max Muncy to minor league deal". SB Nation. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
  20. ^ "2017 Oklahoma City Dodgers Statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  21. ^ Stephen, Eric (April 17, 2018). "Max Muncy called up by Dodgers, Breyvic Valera optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City". SB Nation. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  22. ^ Davison, Drew (July 4, 2018). "MLB: Max Muncy becoming home run machine for Dodgers | Fort Worth Star-Telegram". Star-telegram.com. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
  23. ^ Gurnick, Ken (May 24, 2018). "Max Muncy on All-Star Final Vote ballot". MLB.com. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
  24. ^ Walton, Ryan (July 11, 2018). "Ross Stripling makes the NL All-Star team, Max Muncy finishes third in Final Vote". SB Nation. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  25. ^ Gardner, Steve (July 9, 2018). "Dodgers' Max Muncy to participate in All-Star Home Run Derby". USA Today. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  26. ^ Walton, Ryan (July 16, 2018). "Home Run Derby 2018: Max Muncy makes second round, loses to Bryce Harper". SB Nation. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  27. ^ Boswell, Thomas (October 27, 2018). "Go crazy, Dodgers fans! Max Muncy might have just swung this World Series". Washington Post. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  28. ^ Islas, Elisabeth (July 5, 2019). "Max Muncy named to National League All-Star team". SB Nation. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  29. ^ Rill, Jake (August 30, 2019). "Dodgers place Muncy on IL with wrist fracture". MLB.com. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  30. ^ Castillo, Jorge (February 6, 2020). "Max Muncy and Dodgers agree to three-year contract extension". LA Times. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  31. ^ Moreno, Matthew (May 31, 2021). "Dodgers News: Max Muncy Humbled To Reach 100 Career Home Runs". Dodger Blue. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  32. ^ Toribio, Juan (July 4, 2021). "Betts, Taylor and Muncy to All-Star Game". MLB.com. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
  33. ^ "Roberts: 'glimmer of hope' Muncy back in '21". mlb.com. October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  34. ^ Wexler, Sarah (August 22, 2022). "Muncy excited for future in LA with 1-year extension". mlb.com. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  35. ^ Toribio, Juan (October 2, 2023). "Muncy, Dodgers agree to 2-year, $24M extension". MLB.com. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  36. ^ Toribio, Juan (May 4, 2024). "Muncy goes deep thrice in rout of Braves". mlb.com. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  37. ^ "Muncy lands on IL with oblique strain". mlb.com. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  38. ^ Franco, Anthony (June 21, 2024). "Dodgers Transfer Max Muncy To 60-Day Injured List". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  39. ^ Wexler, Sarah (August 19, 2024). "Muncy HRs in return, Stone K's 10 as Dodgers roll". mlb.com. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  40. ^ Stephen, Eric (October 16, 2024). "Dodgers reliables old and new deliver NLCS Game 3 win". SB Nation. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  41. ^ "Query Results". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  42. ^ McCalvy, Adam (October 17, 2024). "On-base machine: Muncy reaches 12 straight times, breaking PS record". mlb.com. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  43. ^ Gonzalez, AJ (November 19, 2018). "Two Dodgers Players Married Over The Weekend". Dodgers Nation. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  44. ^ Smith, Brook (July 24, 2021). "Dodgers: Max Muncy and Wife Kellie Welcome Their Firstborn". Dodgers Nation. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
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