Sports
Will Braves first baseman Matt Olson be the last MLB Iron Man of the 21st century?
It was 29 years ago this month that Cal Ripken Jr. showed us what a 20th-century Iron Man looked like. By which we mean this.
OTD in 1995, Cal Ripken Jr. took a victory lap for the ages after playing in his 2,131st consecutive game and officially breaking Lou Gehrig’s historic streak ππ§‘π€ pic.twitter.com/hzfFD2ciNz
β MLB (@MLB) September 6, 2024
But in case you hadnβt noticed, itβs a very different time to be a baseball player in North America. So on that note, hereβs what a 21st-century Iron Man looks like.
Matt Olson is closing in on his fourth career season of 162 games played. (Dale Zanine / USA Today)
Thatβs Matt Olson, who may not be as iconic as Ripken but still is a man with two current Iron Man claims to fame:
1) He has been an Atlanta Brave for three seasons now. You could locate him at first base in every darned game the Braves have played in that span β all 473 of them, the most games played by anyone in baseball since the start of 2022.
2) But thatβs not all, because if you roll the Iron Man clock back to his time in Oakland, Olson just blew past a very cool round number: 600 games played in a row.
So β¦ only another 2,000, and heβll be breathing down Ripkenβs neck hairs. Right? You think heβll take one of those Ripken-esque victory laps when he breaks the Iron Man record β¦ in 2037?
βWhat is that β like, 18 years?β Olson said, with a mathematically incorrect chuckle. βYeah, if Iβm playing when Iβm 48, Iβll take a victory lap.β
Aw heck, itβs only another 13 years. So heβs almost there. Or not. But forget that Ripken stuff. Weβre actually calling your attention to Olsonβs streak because heΒ isΒ about to pass another legendary name. And once he does, heβll carve out a slice of Iron Man history that will be all his.
This Thursday, according to STATS Perform, Olson is in line to play in his 477th consecutive game as a first baseman.Β And why is that so special? Because he will tie Pete Rose that day for the longest streak of games played at first baseΒ in the last 80 years.
Once Olson passes Rose, heβll own the second-longest streak at first base since Lou Gehrig β behind only Frank (Buck) McCormick of the 1938-42 Cincinnati Reds (652 in a row). AndΒ it will give Olson the fourth-longest streak at first of anyone in the modern eraΒ notΒ named Gehrig, trailing just McCormick, Fred Luderus (533) and Gus Suhr (505).
βThose are some cool names for sure,β Olson said. βEspecially nowadays.β
Fortunately for us, he then helpfully supplied his own definition of βnowadays.β
Nowadays, load management has become a thing in this sport, even though, in Olsonβs eyes, βweβre not full NBA.β AndΒ nowadays, matchups have also become a thing. Never in history have there been fewer true everyday players, as more teams play platoon-advantage, mix-and-match lineup bingo all over the diamond.
So letβs think about this. Will there ever be another Ripken? Will there ever even be another Matt Olson? Is the whole Iron Man concept dying before our eyes? And if it is, is that a good thing β a smart, scientific, health-driven thing? Or is it another once-romantic baseball phenomenon that is being driven out of the sport by the new wave of deep, analytical thinking?
All Olson set out to do when he began this streak was play, and be there for his team. But his streak has also given us a reason to dig in on what this all means. So letβs do that, OK?
Letβs talk history
Before we get into why Matt Olson does what he does β and why the Braves are all-in on him doing it β letβs look deeper into just how rare this is.
Life after Ripken β Did you know that since Ripkenβs streak of 2,632 consecutive games played ended in 1998, Olson is only the second player to have a consecutive games streak of 600 games or longer? The other: Miguel Tejada, who played in 1,152 in a row from 2000-07.
Heβs well positioned β But itβs the number of games Olson has strung together,Β while playing defenseΒ at his position, that truly separates his streak from almost every other recent Iron Man streak.
Even Tejada played βonlyβ 807 consecutive games at shortstop (from 2000-05), according to STATS. So Olson could pass him, for the longest streak at any position since Ripken, by April 2027.
And by the end of this season, only six men would rank ahead of Olson for the longest streaks at any position in the last 80 years:
|
SS Cal Ripken Jr. |
2,216 (1982-1996) |
|
SS Miguel Tejada |
878 (2000-2005) |
|
2B Nellie FoxΒ Β |
798 (1955-1960) |
|
CF Richie Ashburn |
694 (1950-1954) |
|
SS Roy McMillanΒ |
583 (1951-1955) |
|
3B Eddie Yost |
576 (1951-1955) |
|
1B Matt Olson |
481* (2022-24) |
(Source: STATS Perform; *projected total at end of season)
A relevant side note about that list: Just two of those six players (Ripken and Tejada) compiled those streaks in the 162-game era, now six decades old.
Cal Ripken Jr. jokes with Miguel Tejada during the 10th anniversary celebration of his record-breaking 2,131st consecutive game. (Matthew S. Gunby / Associated Press)
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Whereβs Garvey? We know what youβre thinking: What about Steve Garvey, who famously strung together a 1,207-game streak from 1975-83, as the first baseman for the Dodgers and Padres? Excellent question!
Garveyβs streak is one of three 1,000-gamers (or longer) in the last half-century. But it didnβt make the list above because he extended it seven times with pinch-hitting appearances. Therefore, it doesnβt qualify for the leaderboard of longest streaks playing first base.Β And thatβs an important distinction.
Whoβs on first β Would it shock you to know that itβs not out of the question that Olson could catch Gehrig himself? It stunned us. But weβre not talking about Gehrigβs fabled 2,130-game streak that Ripken passed. This would be only his longest streak while playing first base.
Did you know that Gehrig occasionally wore an outfield glove when the Yankees needed him to? Look it up.
And because he did, his longest consecutive-games streakΒ while playing firstΒ was βonlyβ 885 games, from 1925-30, according to STATS. That means that if Olson can keep going, he could grind past that Gehrig streak in July 2027 β¦ and (amazingly)Β rank No. 1 in the modern era.Β That could actually happen.
At that point, only two men in the modern era would stand in front of Olson at any position:
|
Cal Ripken Jr.Β |
2,216 at SS (1982-1996) |
|
Everett ScottΒ |
1,307 at SS (1916-1925) |
(Source: STATS Perform)
Are we getting ahead of ourselves? Of course we are. But what the heck. Olson has no intention of pulling the plug on this streak any time soon. So heβs closer to big-time Iron Man history than anyone seems to have noticed. Now letβs look at what drives him.
Why Matt Olson just keeps on posting
Long before Matt Olson began streaking toward Rose and Gehrig, he played all 162 games for the Aβs back in 2018. He was 24. It was his first full season in the big leagues. But he didnβt join the 162-Game Club just because the Aβs had no one else to play first. No, even back then, Olson was a man with a purpose.
βItβs kind of how I was wired, growing up, a little bit anyway,β he said. βBut when I got to the big leagues, Marcus Semien was there in Oakland. And he was adamant about playing every day.β
You hear Semienβs name a lot when this subject comes up. Maybe because the Rangersβ second baseman is about to rack up his eighth season playing 155 games or more, in just 10 seasons as a regular in the big leagues. How many other players have done that over these last 10 seasons? Yep, none.
Semien has had three seasons in that span when he played all 162 games. Thatβs tied for the most among all active players. Want to guess whoβs tied with him? Right. Matt Olson.
So even as he was still figuring out how to be an everyday player, Olson had Semienβs voice in his ear, preaching the meaning of literallyΒ playing every day. All these years later, that voice is still there. He was so conscious of Semienβs determination to will his way into the lineup every day, it was hard for Olson β and the rest of those Aβs β to envision what would happen if anyone even tried to make Semien take a day off.
βI donβt think anybody wanted to find out,β Olson said. βI remember he had, like, a little wrist thing going on one time β some inflammation, that sort of thing. The staff wanted to give him a couple days off. I donβt know exactly how it went. I just know there were some words exchanged. Then sure enough, heβs in the lineup that night.
βWhat Marcus always preached was: You owe it to your teammates and the fans (to be out there). And you get paid to play. Youβre not going to be 100 percent every game. But you know, a lot of times, Marcus Semien at 85 percent is better than a lot of other peopleβs 100 percent. So you just have to be able to find how to navigate it, maybe cut some workload down before the game β¦ so you find a way to be out there.β
Now, thatβs exactly what Olson preaches to the players around him. He says that since he arrived in Atlanta, he has never once had to fight his way into the lineup β and has never been physically hurting enough that his health even became a question.
βThe way I look at it, youβre eitherΒ hurt hurt, or youβre able to go,β he said. βSo knock on wood, I havenβt had a lot of those, like, halfway injuries β you know, something where they tell you rest would help but youβre not totally hurt.β
So heβs a firm believer in the old Marcus Semien adage: If itβs not broken, you can play. But he also has seen enough of his teammates go down around him that he knows how fortunate he is that all that stuff that can happen in baseball hasnβt happened to him.
βThereβs a ton of luck involved with that,β he said. βYou know, shoot, just look at our last 30 games, of (all the) guys getting hit by pitches.β
ThereΒ wasΒ one day in September 2022 when his manager, Brian Snitker, didnβt start him, on a Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia. It was Game 152 of Olsonβs first season in Atlanta. So his streak wasnβt a topic yet. And Snitker acknowledged he wanted to give his first baseman some kind of breather β but knew going in it almost certainly wouldnβt be for all nine innings.
βI said (to him): βYou know what? Weβve got to win, like 12-0, for you not to play in that game,β Snitker recalled.
So sure enough, he subbed Olson in for defense in the eighth inning. Olson has started every day since. But that can only happen if his team buys into the meaning of that. So letβs look at β¦
Why the Braves are on board
Matt Olson admires a home run. βThe players are the ones that set the culture,β Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said. (Brad Penner / USA Today)
Is less really more? People may think that way now in the inner sanctum of most franchises. But in Atlanta, they have a different motto:
More is more.
Nowhere else in baseball is the concept of posting up more ingrained in the culture than it is in the heartbeat of the Atlanta Braves. Remember 2021, when their entire starting infield played between 156 and 160 games, missing 13 games combined? That wasnβt an aberration. Itβs what they do.
Most seasons of 157+ games, 2018-23
|
Braves |
14 |
|
Royals |
7 |
|
Blue Jays |
6 |
Most seasons of 162 games, 2018-23
|
BravesΒ |
5 |
|
Other 14 NL teams combined |
5 |
So part of why heβs so committed to going out there, Olson said, is that he grew up in Georgia as a Braves fan β¦ βand thatβs just what theyβve done forever. Maybe itβs because maybe I grew up watching the Braves, and I loved seeing the guys in the lineup every day.β
That work ethic was preached by Chipper Jones, back when he was playing more than 150 games in eight seasons in a row. It was passed down to Freddie Freeman, who had six seasons as a Brave in which he missed five games or fewer. Now, itβs Olson β¦ and Austin Riley β¦ and Ozzie Albies β¦ who keep that culture alive, broken bones notwithstanding.
βIΒ donβt believe that itβs the organization thatβs setting the culture,β Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said. βThe players are the ones that set the culture. Thatβs impacted by what players we acquire. But look, the βGames Playedβ column is something we looked at with Matt Olson. β¦ Obviously, heβs a very good player, but thatβs part of what drew us to him as well.β
And never have the Braves appreciated that quality more than this year, when it feels as though some sort of freak injury has knocked out everybody on the roster β¦ except Matt Olson.
But it isnβt just the Bravesβ injury epidemic that Olson has had to dodge this year. Itβs a force that can sometimes be even harder to avoid:
The Noise.
When you hit 54 homers with a .993 OPS one year β¦ and then sag to 25 homers with a .764 OPS the next, itβs amazing how all those standing ovations can turn into The Noise. When your OPS plunges by more than 200 points, The Noise can turn a guyβs dedication to playing every day into a whole different narrative: Heβs selfish. He needs a rest. Heβs killing that team. Blahblahblah.
That noise is out there. But if the Braves hear it, or care about it, theyβre doing an excellent job of disguising it.
βI hear it,β Snitker said. βBut I donβt pay attention to it, because Iβll talk to the player. And if he feels like he needs a day off, then I will. But I never (thought that), watching (Olson) and how he handled everything. It wasnβt going like he really wanted. But you know what? He came to work every day, the same guy, and I never saw that he was tired. β¦ So I just never felt like he needed it.β
Olson, not surprisingly, seconds that motion.
βYou never know when your day is going to be,β he said. βYou know, if itβs going bad, sure, I can see the benefit of sometimes sitting back and watching the game. But it doesnβt solve the problem. The only thing you can do is go out there and work your way out of something thatβs not going well. So itβs never been something thatβs really crossed my mind.β
But thereβs a bigger question out there β and it isnβt only about Matt Olson. So letβs just ask it β¦
Is it OK to ignore load management?
If Cal Ripken Jr. was just arriving in the big leagues in 2024, what would the odds be that heβd be chasing down Lou Gehrigβs record someday? What do you think β¦ 10 percent? β¦ 5 percent? β¦ 0 percent?
I asked that question of one of baseballβs brightest workload-management authorities, Casey Mulholland, the other day. He found it just as intriguing as youβd imagine.
βIt would sort of depend on what organization heβs playing for,β Mulholland said. βIt would depend on how much they value the idea of him being a franchise player for them.β
Would he be playing for a team that didnβt believe anybody should play more than 150 games? Or would he be playing for a team that did what Ripkenβs Orioles did back in the day β listen to him all those times when he said: βIβm not really hurt. Let me play. I can do this.β
βPlayers are still having that discussion,β said Mulholland, the founder/lead developer at KineticPro Performance in Tampa, Fla. βJust now, itβs becoming much more scientific, a much more mathematical discussion, versus, βHey, I feel good,β and weβre going to talk (about those) feelings and put them back out there on the field. I think thatβs the difference.β
You probably can guess where the Braves stand on the load-management spectrum. But when Snitker was asked, point blank, whether he believes in load management, he didnβt hedge.
βNo,β he replied, succinctly. βI think these guys train to do this every day, right? Because (thatβs) the Bravesβ culture. β¦ Weβve had guys with broken bones and things like that. But (that mindset of playing every day), I think that keeps them from getting the soft-tissue stuff and pulled muscles and everything.
βIβve learned that over the years. I used to think that, but after being with these guys and talking to the guys that are doing it every day, yeah, theyβve made a believer out of me.β
Β You should know that even though Snitker is 68 and a baseball lifer, he regularly displays a balance between new-age analytic concepts and age-old baseball wisdom. But which of those is βLess is Moreβ? We ask because thereβs no simpler way to explain the idea behind load management than that: Less really can be more. And the science proves it.
Mulholland often uses the analogy of a guy running a marathon who had never trained to run those 26 miles. We all know how that works out.
βSo then guys get fatigued, and then guys get hurt,β Mulholland said. βAnd thatβs the idea of load management. Weβre trying to avoid fatigue.β
But to be done right, load management needs to be nuanced. Wearable technology can provide important, detailed information on what athletes are and arenβt capable of. But Mulholland asks: Are teams actually using that data? Are those athletes even granting them permission to use it? And if not, and teams are just using arbitrary limits β 100 pitches for everyΒ pitcher, 150 games a year forΒ everyΒ position player β that can create a whole different set of issues.
Or then thereβs the even more basic question: What if this guyΒ hasΒ trained to run that marathon?
And thatβs exactly how Anthopoulos looks at Matt Olson β as just the latest star player heβs been around who has devoted his life, on and off the field, to the idea that itβs important to play every day.
βSo if heβs not on the injury report and heβs not complaining of anything,β Anthopoulos said, βweβve just had too many years and too many examples of (what heβs capable of). The guy was a top-four MVP candidate last year, and played every day. β¦ Heβs been an elite player with all those games played. So itβs hard to just all of a sudden point to that and say he needs a rest.β
If fatigue was the problem this year, how do we explain why August was Olsonβs best month (eight home runs, .573 slugging percentage, .912 OPS) of the season?
The Braves have looked long and hard at the concept of load management. But they also believe in the value of a centerpiece player who sends a message to everyone around him that the quest for greatness begins with work ethic.
βItβs all just been a mentality,β Anthopoulos said. βAnd look, obviously, some of it is luck. You can get hit by a pitch, and so on. But those guys that post and play every day, year after year, I donβt think itβs a coincidence. I donβt think itβs luck. Thereβs definitely a common trait to all these guys.β
And Matt Olson is all about that trait. He knows his streak will end someday, because all streaks do. But when it does, it wonβt be because he and his team suddenly have discovered a newfound belief in load management.
βIβm not a fan of it,β Olson said. βI mean, I can see the reasons for it. Itβs a long season. But itβs also a game of rhythm and flow. And I would rather just continue to go.β
β The Athleticβs David OβBrien contributed to this report.Β
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(Top photo: Nick Wosika / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Like a good striker, Folarin Balogun never loses sight of the goal. And the goal for the U.S. team in this summerβs World Cup hasnβt been just to win, which theyβve done, but to inspire.
And thatβs how Balogun found himself on the field, shaking hands with Brazilian referee Raphael Claus, about 45 minutes after Claus gave him a controversial red card in Wednesdayβs win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, a red card that will keep him out of Mondayβs round-of-16 game with Belgium.
βLittle kids are watching, and we have to show them the correct way to handle things, even when you think itβs unjust,β Balogun said Friday.
βItβs not an excuse to be disrespectful, to not do the right thing. Iβm aware that the World Cup might be the first time a lot of American viewers are tuning in. So itβs important, whether things happen to you good or bad, just to continue to be yourself.β
That doesnβt mean Balogun didnβt think the red card was unjust. He does. And he definitely thinks something bad happened to him and his team since Balogun, the Americansβ leading scorer with three goals in as many games, will have to sit out the teamβs most important game in a generation.
Itβs just means that Balogun, who celebrated his 25th birthday Friday, is also mature enough to understand a game β even a World Cup elimination game β is just a game.
βItβs been a roller coaster,β he said before the teamβs training session at the University of Washington. βThereβs been lots of different emotions. Iβve been upset, Iβve been happy. But for me, it was just important to stay calm. I never want to react out of anger and out of emotion.β
Balogun, who had given his team a 1-0 lead in the waning seconds of the first half, collided with Tarik Muharemovic 16 minutes into the second half, and when the Bosnian defender planted his right leg below Balogunβs right foot, the American inadvertently stomped on his right ankle, twisting it awkwardly.
U.S. forward Folarin Balogun steps on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovicβs foot and received a red card.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Both players went down and Claus did not signal a foul or pull card. But after the video assistant referee urged him to watch a replay, Claus walked away from the monitor and flashed the red card. That left the U.S. to finish Wednesdayβs game with just 10 men and disqualified Balogun for Mondayβs game. U.S. Soccer said Friday FIFAβs disciplinary committee did not add any games to Balogunβs suspension.
βThereβs the scenarios that you simply canβt avoid,β he said, βand it has to be taken into context when itβs being reviewed. I felt it wasnβt on this occasion. Thereβs nowhere else to put your leg. Itβs going to be unavoidable.
βI think a yellow card would have been fair. [But] itβs something thatβs happened, so we have to move forward, and I have to accept it. The most important thing is just to focus on the bigger picture, which is Belgium.β
Replacing Balogun wonβt be easy since heβs emerged as one of the teamβs most effective and creative players, either scoring of setting up the go-ahead goal in all three of the U.S. wins.
βWeβve got guys that can fill in and have to be ready for the opportunity to step up,β midfielder Tyler Adams said. βWhen you miss a player like Balo, obviously things change a little bit. But weβve been flexible. Guys have shown that theyβre ready to play.β
The most likely replacements are Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright. Pepi, who scored 16 goals for PSV in the Dutch Eredivisie this season, played 90 minutes in place of Balogun in the U.S. loss to Turkey in the final group-stage match. Wright, who had 17 goals for Coventry City in the English Championship, played in all four U.S. games in the 2022 World Cup, scoring once, but he has made just one appearance in this summerβs tournament.
βBalo is an important part of our team, and itβs a disappointing way for him to miss the next game,β said Wright, who grew up in Culver City and spent three years in the Galaxy academy. βBut, Iβll always be ready and prepared for whatever comes.β
A victory over Belgium would send the U.S. to the quarterfinals of a World Cup for just the second time. It would also give it four wins in the tournament, double the number of victories in any previous World Cup and marking the first time the Americans have won twice in the knockout stages in the same tournament.
U.S. forward Ricardo Pepi pursues the ball during a World Cup match against Bosnia-Herzegovina at Leviβs Stadium in Santa Clara , Calif., on Wednesday.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Itβs a moment, Adams acknowledged Friday, many players have waited for their whole lives.
βYou need to embrace the moment, thatβs for sure,β he said. βTo have the opportunity to play in a round-of-16 game β which, obviously, last World Cup we did, but it was the first knockout game, not the second β itβs exciting. It was nice to get a little bit of a taste of what it feels like to play with something a little bit more on the line in the last game. I think thatβs good preparation.
βAdvancing and taking this thing as far as we can is the most important thing. We have a good opportunity here to do so.β
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Knicks champion says he hopes ‘truth comes out’ after leaving team for Eastern Conference rival
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The New York Knicks’ first championship team in 53 years is now starting to look a little bit different.
They were able to hang on to Jose Alvarado, but the first domino to fall was defensive big man Mitchell Robinson, who signed a three-year deal with the Boston Celtics.
Several of Robinson’s now-former teammates, including Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and OG Anunoby, commented on his farewell post on Instagram, but Robinson’s response to Anunoby was rather telling.
Mitchell Robinson is seen outside City Hall at the New York Knicks ticker-tape parade on June 18, 2026 in New York City. (XNY/Star Max/GC Images)
Anunoby commented with a sad emoji, and Robinson said he “tried” to get back with the Knicks, hinting the feeling was not mutual.
“I tried brother I didn’t want this to happen hopefully the truth comes out at some point. I’m gonna miss you big dawg! Keep being great,” Robinson replied.
Team owner James Dolan said almost immediately after the Knicks won the title that he had no interest in going into the NBA’s second apron of payroll, calling it “suicidal.”
Mitchell Robinson of the New York Knicks celebrates after winning the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs during Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 13, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. (Jesse D. Garrabrant /NBAE via Getty Images)
KNICKS OWNER APPEARS TO TAKE SWIPE AT MAMDANI AT NBA CHAMPIONSHIP CELEBRATION, STIFFS PHOTO OP WITH HIM
That alone was enough to tell fans that a roster reconstruction was en route, especially with Brunson eventually set to make up for the massive pay cut he took to help the Knicks win it all.
Robinson grabbed the final offensive rebound off a missed free throw that all but clinched the Knicks’ title against the San Antonio Spurs last month.
Robinson saw both the good and the bad with the Knicks as a second-round draft pick in 2018; in his first season, they were 17-65.
Mitchell Robinson of the New York Knicks talks to the media after the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 13, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. (Jacob Gonzalez/NBAE via Getty Images)
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But now, he will head to an apparent re-tooling Celtics team as a champion.
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As Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy moved fluidly through a chopper at the edge of Camelback Ranchβs infield grass and made a running throw to first, his offseason work started to snap into place.
He wasnβt thinking about the angle he took to the ball, or how to get into the right position to throw β or anything, really. He was just moving instinctively.
βThatβs how I like to field it in my work, is not necessarily traditionally,β Muncy told The Times on Thursday. βI like to field it one-handed, sometimes off the wrong foot, sometimes off balance, and thatβs what works for me really, really well. I just couldnβt get that into the game. And finally getting those first couple of balls [this spring] to go that way just made everything click in my head and gave me the freedom to know that I can do it when it matters.β
Muncy has put together an impressive all-around first half. His .873 OPS through Thursday leads NL third basemen. Heβs on pace for his highest slugging percentage (.513) in five years. But heβs most proud of the work heβs put in on the defensive side.
βI felt like I would show flashes of this, but never the consistency,β Muncy said. βAnd so to be able to just do it on the consistent daily basis that Iβve been doing this year, thatβs easily what Iβm most proud of.β
Now, with that well-rounded body of work, heβs in position to claim the third All-Star selection of his career and first since 2021.
Muncy entered Stage 2 of All-Star fan voting this week as the favorite to claim the starting nod at third base, up against fellow finalist Alec Bohm. But voting totals reset, adding some unpredictability to the process. The All-Star starters are set to be revealed Saturday at 4:30 p.m. on Fox.
βIn total, the player, the defense, the hitting, the slugging, I think this is the best version of Max,β manager Dave Roberts said. βIβm so happy that heβs leading the All-Star voting.β
Not only is this shaping up to be Muncyβs best offensive season since 2021, itβs the best defensive season of his career, regardless of position.
Entering this weekendβs series against the Padres, he had a fielding run value of plus-five runs, tied with the Giantsβ Matt Chapman for the highest mark among third basemen, according to Statcast.
βHeβs always been a hitter,β first-base/infield coach Chris Woodward said. βAnd I think he took it upon himself to say, βIβm going to prove to everybody that Iβm a really good defensive player,β which he has been in his time here, but heβs just never had the opportunity to play one position.β
Though Muncy is in his 11th major-league season, and has played all around the infield for most of it, 2022 marked his first season making the majority of his appearances at third base. And 2023 was his first season moving there full time.
He was also limited by injuries in that span. For years, he still felt the effects of the elbow injury he suffered toward the end of 2021. And he strained his right oblique in each of the last two seasons.
βThird base was just a new position for me, and it just took time to learn it,β Muncy said. βAnd so just trying to get my work to translate into the game is a tough thing to do, and thatβs kind of the secret to every aspect of baseball.β
Each infield position is unique, with its own quirks in footwork, angles and timing. Each has plays β like a slow-roller up the third baseline that requires a quick throw across the diamond β that no other position will encounter.
βWhen a righty gets around the ball, it comes off the bat a lot different than when a lefty gets around the ball,β Muncy said. βAnd itβs weird how that works, and itβs hard to explain, but thatβs just the way it is.β
For much of Muncyβs baseball life he played on the right side of the infield, fielding pull-side contact from left-handed hitters and opposite-field contact from right-handed hitters. That was second nature.
βYou have to completely flip that,β Muncy said of playing third base, βand understand which way itβs going to bounce, how itβs going to bounce, how itβs going to get to you. It just took years of experience to finally get to that point.β
Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts, left, and third baseman Max Muncy congratulate each other coming off the field after a defensive play against the Baltimore Orioles on June 19.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Woodward has always been impressed by Muncyβs agility, surprised when the Dodgers first promoted him in 2018 (as he returned to the big leagues for the first time since being released by the Aβs the previous spring) and by how he moved at second base, despite an atypical build for a middle infielder.
Now, after an offseason with a new diet and training program, he may have leveled up that part of his game β even at 35 years old.
βIn the past it was a good first step, and he couldnβt sustain his speed,β Woodward said. βAnd this year I think he can sustain the speed through the ball.β
Said Muncy: βIβm still beating the age curve for now.β
Woodward also noted how good Muncy is at staying on top of the mental side of the game, knowing how specific pitches to different types of hitters should change his positioning. That, along with regular communication, are some of the details that make the Dodgers infield look like itβs moving as a unit β or, as Woodward put it, an βNFL defenseβ because of the way they swarm to the ball.
The Dodgersβ infield defense as a whole has improved even from last season (No. 6 in fielding run value) to sit in the No. 3 spot in the majors (plus-17 runs) a little past the halfway point of the season.
Muncy unlocking even more potential in the hot corner is a big part of the Dodgers raising their defensive ceiling. Thatβs helped the Dodgers, who own the best record in the majors, create separation in the standings. But itβll be even more vital in the postseason, when the margin for error is at its thinnest.
In All-Star voting, defense wonβt be the determining factor. Muncyβs increased power at the plate is the far flashier aspect of his case to start the Midsummer Classic. But a well-rounded resume doesnβt hurt.
Muncy can picture it: his three children β Sophie Kate, who turns 5 this month, Wyatt James, 3, and Macie Grace, who was born in January β taking in All-Star weekend in Philadelphia, watching their dad represent the National League.
βBeing able to have my kids experience the whole ordeal with me would mean everything to me,β Muncy said. βMy oldest is kind of old enough now to remember these types of things, and so I think itβd be really special to just share that moment with them.β
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