Max Muncy needed two nights to pass a prominent name in Los Angeles Dodgers history.
After tying Ron Cey with his 228th home run as a Dodger on July 21, Muncy passed “The Penguin” the next night. His go-ahead two-run shot off Aaron Nola in the sixth inning gave Los Angeles a 5-3 lead in a 9-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.
Jack Harris of the New York Post reported that Muncy jumped on Nola’s first-pitch changeup and drove it into left-center field. It was Muncy’s 20th homer of 2026 and his third since the All-Star break.
Muncy’s 229 homers rank fifth in overall Dodgers franchise history, which includes Brooklyn, but second in the Los Angeles era. Only Eric Karros, with 270, remains ahead.
The milestone showed how completely Muncy rewrote a career that appeared finished.
From Athletics Castoff to Dodgers Cornerstone
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 17: Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers runs the bases on his home run during the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on July 17, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images)
The Athletics selected Muncy in the fifth round of the 2012 draft, but he never established himself in Oakland. Across 96 games in 2015-16, he batted .195 with five home runs.
Oakland designated him for assignment in January 2017 and released him that spring. At 26, Muncy had no major-league job and no guarantee that another opportunity would arrive.
The Dodgers offered him a minor-league contract in April 2017. Muncy spent that season with Triple-A Oklahoma City, batting .309 with a .414 on-base percentage and 12 home runs while rebuilding his swing.
Then everything changed. Muncy received a spring-training invitation, returned to the majors in April 2018, and launched 35 home runs. He has since produced four seasons with at least 35 homers, earned three All-Star selections, and won three World Series titles.
Muncy is now the longest-tenured Dodger and owns the franchise record with 16 postseason home runs. Oakland saw a player without a place. Los Angeles gave him a runway, and he turned it into a legacy.
Ron Cey Set the Standard at Third Base
GettyLOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 12: Ron Cey and Steve Garvey arrive at the 5th Annual Blue Diamond Foundation at Dodger Stadium on June 12, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images)
Passing Cey carries weight because of what he represented.
Cey debuted with Los Angeles in 1971 and became a fixture in the infield he shared with Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, and Bill Russell. Nicknamed “The Penguin,” he earned six consecutive All-Star selections from 1974 through 1979. Cey helped the Dodgers win four National League pennants.
His defining moment arrived in the 1981 World Series against the New York Yankees. Cey batted .350 with one homer and six RBIs, sharing World Series MVP honors with Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager as Los Angeles won its first championship since 1965.
Cey finished his 17-year career with 316 home runs, 1,139 RBIs, and 1,868 hits. His 228 Dodgers homers stood as a benchmark for Los Angeles for decades.
Muncy has now moved one swing beyond him. With Karros 41 homers away and Muncy under contract through 2027, the most improbable power hitter in modern Dodgers history may not be done climbing.
Dodgers’ Max Muncy Passes Ron Cey on Home Run List