Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy has the opportunity to break a lengthy franchise All-Star starter drought this season.
Muncy is off to a great start to the year, and leads the team in home runs through his 56 games played. He has 14 bombs this season, and has driven in 22 runs as well. Muncy leads NL third baseman with an .859 OPS so far, and will hope he can continue to produce like this to make his first All-Star appearance since 2021.
The Dodgers, though, have a different All-Star drought Muncy could break.
“While the third-base ballot is full of recognizable names, it’s been a down year for the position,” MLB.com’s Thomas Harrigan wrote. “…But not Max Muncy and Miguel Vargas. Those two are having superb seasons for the Dodgers and White Sox, respectively, two franchises that have been waiting a long time for a third-base starter at the All-Star Game.
“A Dodgers third baseman hasn’t cracked the NL’s starting lineup since Ron Cey in 1977. It’s been even longer for the White Sox, who haven’t had an All-Star starter at the hot corner since Jimmy Dykes in 1933 — the very first All-Star Game.”
Did Max Muncy Not Start in His Other All-Star Appearances?
Muncy has made two All-Star Games before, featuring as a reserve in 2019 and starting in 2021.
While he made both teams, he was not the third baseman on either of them. The National League had Muncy as a first baseman in 2019, and he got voted as the starter at designated hitter in 2021.
Muncy went 0-for-2 in both of his All-Star appearances, striking out once.
How Did Ron Cey Perform in His 1977 All-Star Season?
Hey made six All-Star appearances in his career, with the 1977 season marking the fourth of those. He was not a starter in either of his two subsequent All-Star appearances.
In the 1977 season, Cey hit 30 homers and drove in a career-high 110 runs. He slashed .241/.347/.450 for a .797 OPS, and reached his highest finish in MVP voting at eighth.
Muncy isn’t quite on track to reach Cey’s RBI total from that year, but he has been more productive on offense in terms of his averages. The Dodgers will hope Muncy can continue on his current pace and break their nearly 50-year long drought at third base.
Do you think Max Muncy will start for the NL in the All-Star Game this year?
3 Responses
MAX, deserves to be Starting All-Star because he has to face the very best lineup the other teams present, no easy games.
Uh, doesn’t that apply to every single player in MLB? Or are you implying that teams suit up their “best lineup” only when playing LAD? And if that’s what you mean, it’s obviously not true or if true, everyone on the Dodgers should start in the all-star game by that, ahem, logic. SMH, LOL, or both. Perhaps he deserves to be an all-star and even start, but if so, clearly for other reasons.
Good point, WSW or World Series Winner competes against best of opponents pitching. So Max shows how good he is especially after so many injuries.
Kiki, make sure you are 100% before returning. It’s a Long Season, no Rush.
Dodgers hitters are looking more in Zone and that’s Awesome to watch.