Max Muncy’s batting average has not poked its head above .250 since 2019 (when he hit .251) and he’s always at least a little bit of a defensive liability, but he enjoyed an OPS over .800 in 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2024, and he’s hit almost 200 home runs (and has 136 extra-base hits) in his eight seasons as a Dodger. Clearly, when he hits the ball, it travels.

Muncy’s the kind of guy who’s forgiven for a low batting average because his power compensates, but this year, he hasn’t managed to hit the ball much at all. Through 13 games, he’s batting .174 with a .485 OPS, no homers, and a whopping 21 strikeouts for a 42.9% K rate. He’s only sat out of two games so far, but he’s slipped down to batting seventh in the Dodgers’ lineup.

He hasn’t knocked in a run since April 2, when he helped the Dodgers to a 6-5 comeback win over the Braves by tying things up with a two-run double. Over a week later, those are his only two RBI on the year.

This is a decisive season for Muncy, who could be left out in the cold of free agency at the end of this season if the Dodgers decline their club option on him for 2026. If things stay like this, then letting him go might be a foregone conclusion.

Max Muncy isn’t giving the Dodgers a lot of incentive to exercise their 2026 club option with his performance at the plate

When he’s good, Muncy has been a shining ideal for what the Dodgers’ player development system is capable of. They picked him up on a minor league deal in 2017 after he’d been DFA’ed by the Athletics, and he became a breakout mainstay for them in 2018, when he batted .263 with a nearly 1.000 OPS in 137 games. He placed 15th in MVP voting that season and led the Dodgers in home runs with 35 on the year.

He was injured for the majority of last season, but still managed to make himself a far above-replacement player in just 73 games, notching 15 homers and 48 RBI. Vague discussions about bringing Nolan Arenado to LA in a trade with the Cardinals didn’t make much sense this offseason because the Dodgers had Muncy — not as good a defensive third baseman, but a much better bat.

That hasn’t been the case so far this season, and the Dodgers will never be lacking for players who want to come to LA. Although the 2025-26 free agent class is definitely bereft of attractive third base options, the Dodgers wouldn’t have much issue finding a replacement third baseman if Muncy keeps giving them reasons to ditch him.