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As the Dodgers seek to three-peat as World Series champions, team culture will be of the utmost importance.
Gone, however, are stalwarts like pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who retired after the 2025 season.
So who’s carrying the torch? If you ask manager Dave Roberts, it’s the longest-tenured Dodger on the roster: third baseman Max Muncy.
Roberts described him as “a big part of what we’re doing” and “a constant” when speaking with the media.
“I just love the way Max plays, and he gets lost a lot because we have so many superstars, but he’s gotten big hits for us, made big plays for us, and it’s very obvious when he’s not in the lineup for whatever reason, how we perform offensively,” Roberts said. “So he’s very valuable to our ball club.”
Max Muncy is the Dodgers’ X Factor as They Pursue History
Muncy is more than just a hitter or fielder for the Dodgers, Roberts explained.
He’s shown loyalty to the team, not only through his play but by taking team-friendly deals to remain in Los Angeles.
”I think for me what epitomized, what captures Max is he loves being a Dodger and he’s taken less money to not challenge the free agent market because he wanted to be here,” Roberts said. “And so that’s something for me is, you want as many players to be a part of this organization that just want to be here. And so that’s something that has huge value.”
Roberts said he hopes younger players pick up on that lesson.
“It’s a good message for guys that are free agents or young players, that he never takes for granted being a Dodger,” Roberts said.
How is Max Muncy Getting Ready for the 2026 Season?
Alongside many of the Dodgers’ other stars, Muncy isn’t rushing into this year.
“For a lot of us coming off back-to-back World Series, just trying to prioritize rest over the offseason. That was a conversation that was had with several people,” Muncy told Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. “It was kind of ‘Give your body as much rest as possible. We’ll start ramping up a little later than normal.’ As a result, we’re just not ready for the first week of games. But we’re still scheduled to get more than 50 at-bats which is definitely plenty to get ready.”
