Max Muncy may not have recorded a hit in Game 5 of the NLCS on Friday night, but the 34-year-old slugger continued to make history in other ways.
The Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman finished the contest 0-for-3 with a walk and a run, all while his team went on to lose to the New York Mets 12-6. It marked Muncy’s seventh game in a row getting on base, and while his postseason batting average this year is sitting at .258, his OPS is 1.033.
Muncy, who hit home runs in Games 2 and 3, is up to nine walks so far this series. He drew two walks in Game 2, then three walks apiece in Games 3 and 4.
This is the second time in Muncy’s career that he has drawn at least nine walks in a single playoff series. He also did so in the 2020 NLCS, which lasted seven games.
According to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs, Muncy is now one of two players in MLB history to have multiple postseason series with nine-plus walks. The other is Barry Bonds, who achieved the feat in the 2002 NLCS and 2002 World Series.
players with multiple postseason series with 9+ walks:
Max Muncy (2024 NLCS, 2020 NLCS)
Barry Bonds (2002 WS, 2002 NLCS)— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 19, 2024
There have only been five players who have drawn double-digit walks in a playoff series, per Langs. Bonds owns the single-series record with 13 in the 2002 World Series, while the No. 2 spot is shared by Babe Ruth and Gene Tenace, who each had 11 walks in the 1926 and 1973 World Series, respectively.
Bonds drew 10 walks in the 2002 NLCS, while Frank Thomas did the same in the 1993 ALCS.
Muncy being the same company as three Hall of Famers and a four-time World Series champion is quite the feat, although it isn’t exactly out of character for the veteran. He ranks fifth in the National League with 511 walks since he joined the Dodgers in 2018, and the only qualified players across all of MLB with higher walk rates in that span are Juan Soto, Mike Trout and Aaron Judge.
Nobody has drawn more walks in the postseason than Muncy since 2018, with his 49 bases on balls narrowly beating out Alex Bregman’s 48. He has managed to do so in 121 fewer plate appearances than the longtime Houston Astros third baseman, as well.
Muncy and the Dodgers still lead the NLCS 3-2 with the series heading back to Los Angeles. Game 6 is scheduled to get underway at 8:08 p.m. ET on Sunday.
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