A’s Biggest Camp Question Turns into Strength for 2026
The Oakland Athletics entered spring with uncertainty at third base. General manager David Forst had said the club sought upgrades at second or third base after last season.
Offseason moves and spring competition
The A’s added Jeff McNeil via trade, increasing payroll. They also pursued Nolan Arenado, but he used his no-trade clause.
That left the hot corner to internal candidates in A’s camp. Darell Hernaiz and Max Muncy both pushed for the role.
Muncy wins the job
Muncy captured the starting third base job after a strong spring showing. He hit .380 with a .466 on-base percentage in camp.
His spring totals included five home runs and 12 RBIs. The club has started him at third base in every game so far.
Early-season production
Through nine games, Muncy is 11-for-35, a .314 average with a .333 OBP. He has two home runs, five RBIs and eight runs scored.
He has produced 0.4 fWAR, tied with Jeffrey Springs for second on the team. Shea Langeliers leads the club at 0.6 fWAR.
Muncy’s 153 wRC+ ranks second among full-time Athletics hitters. Carlos Cortes leads all club hitters with a 277 mark in 10 plate appearances.
Standing among third basemen
Among MLB third basemen, Muncy’s 0.4 fWAR and 153 wRC+ place him near the top. His .571 slugging percentage ranks second at the position.
Seattle’s Brendan Donovan currently leads third basemen in slugging at .667. Muncy has become a prominent bat for the A’s early in 2026.
Underlying data and warning signs
There are reasons for caution despite the hot start. Muncy has drawn only one walk, a 2.8 percent walk rate.
That walk rate ranks last among 29 qualified third basemen. His BABIP sits at .429, one of the highest marks in the group.
Statcast and plate-discipline metrics
Statcast shows promising contact metrics. He ranks in the 88th percentile for bat speed, 98th for hard-hit rate, and 95th for average exit velocity.
However, his plate discipline numbers are mixed. He ranks poorly in chase rate, whiff rate, and sits higher in strikeout rate than last year.
His barrel rate rose from 10.1 percent to 17.4 percent, and his launch angle increased to about 10.3 degrees. Those changes correlate with increased power.
Context and outlook
Muncy has limited big-league experience, and his Triple-A walk rate peaked at 8.9 percent. He struck out at a 33.3 percent clip last season in the minors.
If his strong contact and hard-hit rates hold, the A’s could gain a valuable middle-of-the-order bat. At the same time, improving walk rate would help sustain production.
What began as the A’s biggest question in spring appears to be turning into strength early in 2026. Filmogaz.com will continue monitoring his progress.
