Part of a series of articles previewing the defensive performance of all 30 MLB teams by asking the question … are they good? We give an overview of team strengths, weaknesses, and other things to know, using Defensive Runs Saved and other stats as the basis for our evaluation. To see the full series, click here.

2025 Team Defensive Runs Saved Rank: 28th

Team Strengths

Shortstop Zach Neto has done very well by Runs Saved the last two years. Neto has good range and is further helped by his double play success rate numbers, which have been among the best in the sport two years running. He’s turned 76% and 78% of opportunities into double plays in that time (the average MLB rate for shortstops is around 62%).

Second baseman Adam Frazier has totaled at least 5 Runs Saved at the position four times. He’s 34, so he’s on the wrong side of the aging curve so there isn’t a certainty that he’s going to be good if he plays a lot.

The Angels’ best defensive outfielder, Bryce Teodosio, is probably going to be on the bench to start the season. He was a minor league standout in Runs Saved and had 7 in 50 games in center field last season. The Angels are committed to playing Mike Trout in center field for now.

Team Weaknesses

Trout didn’t play center field last season but had 6 Defensive Misplays in 22 games in right field, which isn’t great. He’s 34 and injury prone which isn’t a good combination for a center fielder and that’s why we’re listing him here.

The optimal outfield alignment for the Angels would probably be Trout in left with Teodosio in center field and Jo Adell in right. But Teodosio doesn’t hit enough to play over Josh Lowe, who will start the season as their left fielder. He had -5 Runs Saved in 182 games in right field the last two seasons.

Catcher Logan O’Hoppe was thought to be a good defender when he came up through the minors. But his pitch blocking numbers have been consistently below average and his pitch framing numbers have been likewise in two of the last three seasons. The other catcher, Travis d’Arnaud, has -10 Runs Saved in 147 games over the last two seasons.

Third base is dicey if it’s Yoan Moncada had -10 Runs Saved at third base last season and -7 the last time he played more than a half-season there (2023). The better defensive option is Oswald Peraza, who had 6 Runs Saved in 64 games last season and could be listed as a strength if there was more sample size.

Other Things To Know

Jo Adell is in right field after the attempt to play him in center early last season didn’t work out. Adell has had as many as 6 Runs Saved in a season. He had -1 in 69 games after moving back to right field last year.

Are the Angels A Good Defensive Team?

No. It wouldn’t be surprising if they’re near the bottom of the majors in Runs Saved again.