Why Max Muncy, Not NPB Standout, is Dodgers’ More Likely 2026 Third Baseman

In seven games at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, third baseman Munetaka Murakami made a strong impression with his performance for Team Japan.

The then-23-year-old compiled an .826 OPS (.364 OBP, .462 slugging) in seven WBC games, capped by a home run against a major league pitcher (Merrill Kelly) in Japan's dramatic victory in the title game. That performance put Murakami's name on the radar as an MLB prospect in the event he ever decided to leave Nippon Professional Baseball.

Flash forward two years. Murakami is eligible to be posted by the Yakult Swallows, his NPB team, after this season under the posting agreement between MLB and the top league in Japan. The Dodgers have made tremendous inroads with the NPB talent pool recently, signing star pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki in consecutive off-seasons (in addition to Shohei Ohtani).

In a chat with MLB Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers, Tim Dierkes wrote last week "I expected the Dodgers to be all-in" on Murakami. But Dierkes also noted that the third baseman has been limited this season because of oblique injuries.

In just six games (through Sunday), Murakami has gone 7-for-16 with a home run, a double, and a stolen base. Perhaps the threat of injury for a player who's logged at least 120 games in each of the previous five NPB seasons is small relative to his potential.

Still, Dierkes believes it's large enough that the Dodgers might be wary of issuing a large contract to Murakami. Why?

"Muncy’s deal has a $10MM club option for 2026 that’s a no-brainer to exercise," Dierkes wrote. "(Murakami) is a questionable defender at third base, and the Dodgers don’t have the fallback to let him play first or DH anytime soon.

"I’d stick with Muncy one more year and potentially turn the position to infield prospect Alex Freeland (who should break in as a utility player soon enough) by 2027," Dierkes continued. "There’s also a chance that Murakami has such a poor walk year because of the injuries that he delays his plans to come to MLB via the posting system until after next season."

Between Muncy's affordable contract relative to his production (134 OPS+ this season, 127 OPS+ over the last eight seasons), and Freeland's potential major league readiness (.822 OPS at Triple-A Oklahoma City through Sunday), the same caveats around the Dodgers' interest in Murakami apply to any free agent or trade candidate this winter.

Muncy isn't the shiny or new option to man third base in Los Angeles in 2026 — particularly in light of his recent knee injury — but he might be the most sensible.