The Los Angeles Dodgers are eagerly awaiting the return of their third baseman.

When healthy, Max Muncy has been a major impact player. He helps to lengthen the lineup with his power and patience at the plate. By getting on base, he causes stress for the opposing team, traffic on the bases for his own team, and ultimately a penchant for creating runs.

While it looks likely that Muncy will be back soon from a nagging oblique pull, his offseason status has recently been the topic of conversation for some involved within the game.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com wrote an article looking ahead to this winter’s offseason period. The piece broke down some of the more noteworthy potential free agents with opt-out clauses whether team-based or player-based.

Muncy has a $10 million club-friendly option for 2026. Will the Dodgers pick it up? According to Feinsand, it seems likely.

“Knee and oblique injuries have limited Muncy to 89 games this season, but the third baseman has been superb since starting the season with a poor April, hitting 17 home runs with 64 RBIs and an .880 OPS,” Feinsaind writes. “Muncy has said he wants to retire as a Dodger, and while that’s still far from a certainty, it seems likely that he will be back in 2026.”

Even though Japanese infielder Munetaka Murakami is reportedly coming stateside as the premier third baseman in free agency, financially it makes sense to have a comparable and far more proven player at a fraction of what Murakami may cost.

Muncy has been a fixture with this franchise for nearly a decade — and as such he’s one of the most respected leaders within the group. One can’t put a price on what he means to the team as a whole.

Also, the numbers speak for themselves. This year alone, Muncy ranks in the 99th percentile in walk percentage, the 96th percentile in chase percentage, the 94th percentile in hard-hit percentage, the 93rd percentile in xSLG, and the 96th percentile in xwOBA.

Even at age 35, he’s barreling the ball up at a very high rate. When factoring in his ability to also get on base and not chase, it’s a no-brainer he’d be brought back.