Max Muncy's postseason should quiet Dodgers rumors after Alex Bregman opt out

With Alex Bregman confirming what we all knew and opting out, the saga of last offseason was renewed. Will the Los Angeles Dodgers be able resist his siren's song? They may have an opening at the hot corner, but only if they choose to create the hole.

Simmering underneath Los Angeles's quest to repeat as World Series champions has been the question of whether or not the club will pick up Max Muncy's option once the season comes to a close.

At just $10 million, it would seem like a bargain for the well-to-do Dodgers, but chronic injuries to the star third baseman over the past two seasons have made it more of an open question.

Muncy has played in just 173 of a possible 324 regular-season games since the start of 2024, meaning he's been unavailable almost as often as he's been in the lineup. That's led some to question whether or not it's worth bringing the 35-year-old back for 2026.

Bregman hitting the market provides further temptation to move on for a team that loves to collect stars, but the rumors should be quelled by Muncy's postseason performance.

Max Muncy's playoff performance should quiet any rumors that the Dodgers will pursue Alex Bregman

While the injuries have been a concern with Muncy, when he's been on the field he's been productive. Over the last two seasons, his average wRC+ has been 125. He's also a consistent postseason performer.

After Game 2 of the NLCS, Muncy is now the sole owner of the Dodgers' all-time postseason home runs record with 14. Patience and power are hallmarks of his game, and that's reflected in his postseason line of .222/.394/.444, which is good for an .839 OPS — even better than his career regular season mark of .828.

This go around, Muncy has been even better, slashing .273/.448/.455 through eight games. Simply put, there's been no decline in his game despite his age and injury history, and he continues to rise to the occasion in the biggest moments.

Bregman, of course, is also a noted postseason performer, but despite being almost four years younger than Muncy, he's displayed some red flags the past two seasons, which is the primary reason he had to settle for the pillow contract in Boston.

Sure, he's superior defensively, but Muncy's bat has been more potent by a small margin. Still with just average bat speed, hard-hit rates, and average exit velocity, there's a pretty decent chance that Bregman falls off at the plate sooner rather than later.

A 29th percentile barrel rate and 28th percentile launch angle sweet-spot rate in 2025 could forecast a steep dip in power production from the longtime Houston Astro. If that happens, it will more than offset the value of his glove.

Over the course of a six- or seven-year deal, which is what Bregman will be seeking, it's guaranteed that his bat won't play up to the contract at some point. On the flip side, $10 million for one year of Muncy is a steal. It's not necessarily about the dollar amount for Los Angeles, but rather not clogging up the roster with an unproductive player for years to come when they have enough deferred money to worry about.

Lastly, if we've learned anything over the past few years, the Dodgers clearly value cost-effective playoff production, especially when it comes for them. Just ask Kiké Hernandez.