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Ken Rosenthal of the The Athletic is reporting that the Los Angeles Dodgers and infielder Max Muncy have agreed to a three-year deal, avoiding an arbitration hearing that would have occurred this month.
Infielder Max Muncy in agreement with #Dodgers on three-year, $26M extension, sources tell The Athletic. Deal also includes a $13.5M option for a fourth year or $1.5M buyout.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 6, 2020
If the base extension were to be exercised, Muncy would earn $38 million over four years.
The breakdown of Muncy’s contract:
Just so we're straight: Max Muncy's new three-year, $26-million deal with #Dodgers includes a $4.5-million signing bonus with salaries of $1 million in 2020, $7.5-million in 2021 and $11.5 million in 2022. Team option for $13 million in 2023 with $1.5-million buyout.
— Mike DiGiovanna (@MikeDiGiovanna) February 6, 2020
According to Jon Heyman, there are also escalators on the option-year salary based on MVP voting results.
Max Muncy:
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 6, 2020
$26M/3. 2020-2022 opt 2023.
Signing bonus - $4.5M
$1M - 2020
$7.5M - 2021
$11.MM - 2020
Club option 2023 for $13M or $1.5M buyout.
BASE IN 2023 INCREASES BY: $1M for 1st thru 5th MVP ($500,000-6th thru 10th; $250K-11th thru 20th) in each previous season. Max 3M
Muncy has finished 15th in National League MVP voting each of the last two seasons.
The Dodgers generally have a “file and trial” policy of not negotiating after arbitration figures are exchanged, but perhaps Andrew Friedman grants exceptions for multi-year deals.
Muncy is entering his age-29 season (turns 30 in August), so the option year is for his age-32 season.
For Los Angeles, Muncy has batted .256/.381/.545/.927, 145 OPS+ with 70 home runs in 1,070 plate appearances over the past two years. The only players with an OPS+ between 140 and 150, inclusive, over the past two year, minimum 1000 PA are:
- Nelson Cruz 150
- Muncy 145
- Anthony Rendon 145
- Cody Bellinger 144
- Juan Soto 140
Los Angeles still has pending arbitration hearings with Chris Taylor and Pedro Baez
Joc Pederson has an arbitration hearing today, but with his trade to the Anaheim Angels in the offing, there is speculation that it is not the Dodgers presenting the case.
An exec from an uninvolved team suspects that MLB is having a 3rd party lawyer argue the other side of Joc Pederson’s arb case today, leaving the #Dodgers and #Angels out of it.
— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) February 6, 2020