The Athletics announced that infielder Max Muncy underwent a debridement surgery to address cartilage damage in his left knee. He also received a platelet-rich plasma injection. Muncy is expected to be fully ready for the start of camp.

Muncy finished the season on the injured list, missing the final week with the cartilage issue. It evidently required a minor procedure but shouldn’t have much impact on his offseason. Muncy is entering what could be a make or break season. He’s down to one minor league option year remaining and will need to impress a front office led by newly-hired president of baseball operations Taylor Smith, who doesn’t have the same attachment to Muncy as did former GM David Forst.

A first-round pick in 2021, Muncy has yet to establish himself in parts of two big league campaigns. He hit .214/.259/.379 as a rookie last year. Muncy’s numbers improved marginally in his sophomore season, as he batted .230/.296/.387 with nine homers across 284 plate appearances. He struck out at a concerning 32% clip while walking less than 8% of the time. Muncy has above-average bat speed but has yet to dial in a consistent enough approach against big league pitching. Twelve of his 18 career home runs have come against fastballs, and he’s struggled to make contact against any kind of secondary stuff.

Muncy is also still looking to find a long-term defensive fit. He struggled at second base as a rookie and posted particularly ugly grades as a third baseman this year. The A’s used him mostly as a designated hitter late in the season and got him a few corner outfield reps for the first time in his career. Muncy will enter camp vying for a utility role after opening the 2026 season as Mark Kotsay’s primary third baseman.