There was never much tension over these decisions. Munch has been a key contributor to the Dodgers for almost a decade now. He missed some time this year due to a bone bruise in his left knee and an oblique strain, but still managed to produce when he was on the field. He hit 19 home runs in 100 games and walked in 16.5% of his 388 plate appearances. He put up a .243/.376/.470 line, which translates to a 137 wRC+.
He and the Dodgers clearly like each other, as the two sides have worked out multiple contract extensions. They signed a three-year deal worth $26 million in 2020. They continued for another year at the end of 2022. After the 2023 season, they signed a two-year, $24 million extension with a $10 million club option for 2026 without a buyout. Barring a surprising offseason trade, Muncy will man third base for the Dodgers again in his age-35 season.
Vesia, 30 in April, is entering his third and final arbitration season. In January 2025, he and the Dodgers appeared headed to a hearing to decide his 2025 salary. He had filed with the team for $2.35 million for $2.05 million. They avoided that hearing by agreeing to a one-year contract plus a club option for 2026. Vesia would get a $2.3 million guarantee in the form of a $2.25 million salary in 2025 plus a $50,000 buyout on the $3.55 million club option. Vesia could add $50,000 to the option by pitching in 60 games with another $50,000 for 65 games, plus another $75,000 for 70 games. He appeared in 68 games this year, increasing the option price to $3.65 million.
His performance was quite strong this year. He logged 59 2/3 innings with a 3.02 earned run average, 33.8% strikeout rate and 9.3% walk rate. He also made seven postseason appearances, although he had to miss the World Series due to a family matter.
Even if the Dodgers had declined the option, Vesia still would have been controllable through arbitration. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz predicted Vesia would get a salary of $4.1 million next year. If the Dodgers had similar expectations internally, picking up the option was the cheaper path. It is also the easier path, as the parties almost went to a hearing last year and Vesia dealt with the aforementioned family matter. Put it all together and activating the option was obvious.
Ward, 28 in February, is being added to the roster to avoid becoming a minor league free agent. The Dodgers selected him in the eighth round of the draft in 2019. He has proven to be a reliable power bat in the minors, with between 21 and 36 home runs in each season since 2021. He hit 36 long balls in Triple-A this year with a 12.7% walk rate and an 18.7% strikeout rate. He slashed .290/.380/.557 for a 132 wRC+.
A grain of salt is necessary as that was his third year at this level. He’s a bit old to be considered a prospect. He is also rated as a poor defender, even at corner outfield. However, the Dodgers didn’t want him to get away. The Dodgers clearly have a strong roster, but the outfield is a relative weak spot. The Michael Conforto signature failed. Andy Pages saw his bat disappear in the playoffs. Teoscar Hernández had some timely hits, but also some defensive and baserunning errors. Ward gives them a bat-first depth option with a full suite of options.
Photo courtesy of Kirby Lee, Imagn Images
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