A man who was released more than 10 years ago and even considered going to Korea has now become a proud part of the most prestigious team in Major League Baseball. Max Muncy, who quietly endured with the Los Angeles Dodgers, achieved a first-ever milestone in major league history.
Muncy started at third base and fifth in the lineup in the game against the Texas Rangers on the 11th (Korean time) at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, and hit three home runs — a go-ahead solo, a comeback solo, and a walk-off solo in the ninth — leading the team to an 8-7 victory.
Muncy hit a home run in the bottom of the second. Against Texas starter Kumar Rocker, he drove the fourth pitch, a 93-mile cutter, after a 2-1 count and sent it over the right-field wall. His second homer of the season. In the bottom of the fourth, trailing 1-3, he took Rocker's first pitch, a 95.6-mile sinker, and sent it over the left-field wall. It was a pulled home run that cut the deficit to 2-3.
The game seemed to be a comfortable win for the Dodgers thanks to Muncy's performance and Andy Pages's four RBIs. But with a 7-4 lead in the top of the ninth, closer Edwin Díaz failed to preserve the three-run lead and blew the save. With the score tied 7-7, in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and no runners on, Muncy came to the plate. Muncy faced left-hander Jacob Latz in a two-strike count and was down to two strikes. On the third pitch with two strikes, he drove an 86.1-mile slider. The contact produced a ball that you could tell immediately was a walk-off home run. Muncy enjoyed the moment with a stylish bat flip.
That day Muncy had a huge performance: four hits in five at-bats (three home runs), three RBIs and five runs scored. According to Opta Stats, Muncy became the first player in major league history to record five runs, four hits, three home runs and a walk-off home run in the same game.
Also, that day Muncy recorded his 213th home run as a Dodger. He rose to sole sixth on the Dodgers' all-time home run list, passing Steven Garvey (211 home runs). MLB.com explained that since the franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1958, only Eric Karros (270 home runs) and Ron Cey (228 home runs) have hit more homers for the team than Muncy.
Before that game he was hitting .216 with one home run and had gone 4 for 26 in April, a .154 average, but he ultimately prevailed. Last year Muncy also went through a period of extreme slump early in the season. At the end of April a year ago, after a road game at the Chicago Cubs, while boarding the team bus a male fan shouted in Muncy's face, "You're really the worst. Get lost." Muncy listened to the profanity and stared for a long time.
But Muncy quietly overcame the fans' criticism. Despite struggles and injuries early last season, he contributed to the Dodgers' repeat World Series title with a 100-game line of a .244 average (76-for-313), 19 home runs, 67 RBIs and an OPS of .846.
Dave Roberts said, "Muncy told me even when he didn't get a hit on the Toronto trip, 'I'm almost there.' When results weren't coming he sometimes showed visible anxiety, but now he is very confident. He believes in his process. He proved tonight that even if results aren't coming, if you are in a good place you should keep pushing. I want to praise that. It's interesting how the mood can change."
After being released by the Athletics in March 2017, he signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers and became part of Dodger Blue. If the Dodgers had not reached out, he would have had to look to Asia, including Korea and Japan. In fact, offers also came from the KBO. In an interview with Dodgers Nation last October, recalling the period right after his release, Muncy said, "I was almost decided to retire then. Offers came from the KBO, but I really didn't want to accept them."
But after grinding it out in the majors, he is now active as a Dodger. With Clayton Kershaw retiring after last season, he became the longest-tenured active player still wearing a Dodgers uniform. He signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers in 2017 and spent a year in Triple-A. He was called up to the big leagues in 2018 and became a two-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion.
Roberts said, "Now Max seems to have matured and believes in his process. The extension probably had an effect. The assurance that the team believes in him and the fact they've shown that belief seems to have given him peace of mind. I think president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager tied him down with a contract to let him focus solely on baseball." Muncy signed a two-year, $24 million extension with the Dodgers in November 2023 that included a $10 million team option for 2026. He signed a one-year extension last November.
In a Dodgers clubhouse full of superstars, Muncy has become an indispensable player. Roberts said, "Our team has so many superstars that it's natural for some to get overshadowed. There are many good third basemen in the league. But when you think about what Max has done for our team, the loss when he's not in the lineup is huge. He's a very big part of our team," explaining Muncy's substantial presence.
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