Dodgers: Max Muncy Continues to be Underrated and Defy the Odds

Max Muncy has come a long way in his career to be where he is now. He slots in ahead of or behind MVP candidate Cody Bellinger in the Dodgers’ lineup, has moved to second base and has worked hard to become a good defender there, and has represented one of the best comeback stories of the decade.

There are no shortage of comeback stories on the Dodgers — Rich Hill battling back from the passing of his son Brooks and tenures in independent baseball, Chris Taylor being traded to the Dodgers for a bag of balls (aka Zach Lee) as a utility infielder, and Justin Turner being non-tendered by the Mets. Max Muncy deserves the same love.

The Comeback Kid

After reaching the 30 home run plateau for the second consecutive season, Max Muncy talked to Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group about his continued breakout:

“That’s a cool number to me. It just means a lot considering where I came from not too long ago.”

While most MLB players will tell you that they do not typically view personal achievements as their primary focus, those with the career arc of Max Muncy have every right to be proud of their accomplishments in the way he has.

A Full Blown Star

Muncy has been special:

https://twitter.com/DanJPreciado/status/1162555899401007104?s=20

Boy, does Oakland miss Max Muncy. Who cares! He is now our player and our everyday second baseman. He is a star. That has now been solidified with his now 255 game sample size with the Dodgers. Since joining the Dodgers in 2018, Muncy has accrued a 147 wRC+, good for the ninth-best mark in all of baseball over that timespan. His 8.8 WAR in that period also ranks as the 16th-best in the sport. A star without a doubt.

Max Muncy somehow has 65 home runs as a Dodger already.

— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) August 17, 2019

Overall

This season, Muncy has crushed 30 home runs, accrued 3.5 WAR, and has graded out as an above-average defender with FIFTEEN defensive runs saved across three positions. For someone that was a somewhat worrisome defender coming into the season, that is really, really good.

The Dodgers continue to reap the benefits of an excellent front office and it is shown with yet another comeback kid in Max Muncy. Still just 28 years old, Muncy figures to be a force for years to come — in the right color: blue.