Dodgers News: Los Angeles Signs Surging Max Muncy to Contract Extension

The Dodgers agreed to a contract extension with slugger Max Muncy, who struggled the first four months of this season but has broken out in August.

It wasn't too long ago that people were wondering whether the Dodgers would both to pick up Max Muncy's team option for 2023. When July came to a close, Muncy was batting .161 with a .613 OPS.

Muncy, of course, had his season come to an abrupt end in the final weekend of the regular season last year when a collision with Jace Peterson of the Brewers left him with a torn UCL and a full offseason of rehab.

We don't know for sure how much Muncy's injury played into his struggles, but the famously consistent slugger had never dealt with a slump this bad or this prolonged.

A little tweak to his mechanics led to a breakout in the batter's box, and coming into Monday night's game Muncy had hit .328 with a 1.185 OPS and 7 home runs through the first 16 games of August.

And on Monday, Muncy was rewarded with a contract extension. The Dodgers held a $13.5 million team option for 2023, and that option is now locked in.

Dodgers just announced Max Muncy has been extended — his club option for next season at $13.5M was guaranteed, and now he has a club option for 2024 at $10M plus incentives.

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) August 22, 2022

In addition, the Dodgers have a $10 million team option for 2024 with a series of escalators that could push the value to $14 million.

The incentives in Max Muncy's club option for 2024 are based off plate appearances the year before (2023), per source:

$250,000 at 50, 250, 300, 350 PA
$500,000 at 400, 450 PA
$1,000,000 at 500, 550 PA

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) August 23, 2022

Muncy is making $11.5 million this season, although his luxury tax number is $13 million because $1.5 million of his signing bonus applies to this season. If Muncy hits and defends the way he is capable of, the $13.5 million they pay him next year will be a bargain.

Interestingly, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Muncy's recent surge wasn't a factor in the team's desire to extend him.

Dodgers broached extension talks with Max Muncy in late July, Andrew Friedman said. Deal was agreed upon a while ago, but wasn’t announced until today. Said Muncy’s upswing of late wasn’t a factor — club was already confident he would turn things around.

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) August 23, 2022

Muncy, of course, is thrilled. After being out of baseball and thinking his career might be over before totally reinventing himself as a hitter just over five years ago, Muncy has now locked in nearly $40 million in career earnings. Even more, it keeps him in an organization he compares to a family.

"It means everything," he told SportsNetLA's Kirsten Watson. "There's no place I'd rather be."