Originally published by DodgerBlue.com
Max Muncy became the Los Angeles Dodgers’ longest-tenured player this offseason, and he also took a significant leap in MLB Network’s rankings of the top-10 third basemen right now.
Last year, Muncy was ranked No. 8 by The Shredder heading into the season, but this year, he ranks as the second-best third baseman in the league.
It is also the fourth consecutive season Muncy has been ranked among the top-10 third basemen in MLB by The Shredder. He ranked eighth in each previous season at third base.
The Dodgers have now had a third baseman ranked for 12 consecutive seasons, with Juan Uribe (2015) and Justin Turner (2016-22) previously on the list.
Muncy was also ranked three other times as a top-five first baseman, meaning he has been ranked seven times total since joining the Dodgers in 2018.
But now in the second spot as a third baseman, Muncy trails only Cleveland Guardians’ superstar José Ramírez, who is among the best overall players in the game.
The Shredder takes the last three seasons into account, with the previous being weighted the most heavily, and despite his limited playing time due to injury, Muncy has been elite in the batter’s box.
In 100 games last year, Muncy hit .243/.376/.470 with 19 home runs, 67 RBI, 48 runs scored and a 137 wRC+ along with 2.9 WAR. His .852 on-base plus slugging percentage would’ve placed him right behind Freddie Freeman at No. 17 in all of MLB, had he qualified.
Muncy’s wRC+ and on-base percentage led all MLB third basemen with at least 250 plate appearances. Over the past two seasons, he ranks second among MLB third basemen with a 135 wRC+ and fourth with a .480 slugging percentage.
In his last three seasons combined, Muncy has appeared in 308 games, slashing .226/.352/.478 with 70 home runs, 220 RBI, 190 runs scored and a 127 wRC+ with 7.8 WAR.
While defense still isn’t his strong suit and grades out poorly, Muncy also made some progress with the glove after putting in extensive work at the hot corner.
The 35-year-old was rewarded this offseason with a one-year contract extension that includes an option for the following year. He was previously set to become a free agent following the 2026 season.
The Dodgers now look for Muncy to continue on his recent success with hopefully better health, and the third baseman feels he’s in a great spot to do so.
MLB Top-10 Third Basemen Right Now for 2026
| Rank | The Shredder | Mike Lowell |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | José Ramírez (Guardians) | José Ramírez (Guardians) |
| 2 | Max Muncy (Dodgers) | Manny Machado (Padres) |
| 3 | Alex Bregman (Cubs) | Austin Riley (Braves) |
| 4 | Matt Chapman (Giants) | Junior Caminero (Rays) |
| 5 | Manny Machado (Padres) | Alex Bregman (Cubs) |
| 6 | Junior Caminero (Rays) | Bo Bichette (Mets) |
| 7 | Bo Bichette (Mets) | Matt Chapman (Giants) |
| 8 | Isaac Paredes (Astros) | Maikel Garcia (Royals) |
| 9 | Eugenio Suárez (Reds) | Max Muncy (Dodgers) |
| 10 | Austin Riley (Braves) | Carlos Correa (Astros) |
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