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Category: Defense

  • Are The Braves A Good Defensive Team?

    Are The Braves A Good Defensive Team?

    Photo: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire

    Part of a series of articles previewing the defensive performance of all 30 MLB teams by asking the question … are they good? To see the full series, click here.

    2024 Defensive Runs Saved Rank: 10th

    Team Strengths

    The Braves can put some pretty good defenders on the field on a regular basis.

    First baseman Matt Olson won his 4th Fielding Bible Award in 2024. 

    Most Defensive Runs Saved – 1B, Last 2 Seasons

    Player Runs Saved
    Matt Olson 21
    Carlos Santana 20
    Christian Walker 16

    Austin Riley posted seasons of 13, 7, and 9 Runs Saved in 2021, 2022, and 2023, respectively. He dropped to 0 Runs Saved in 2024. You could make a case he belongs in the strengths column even with that.

    Center fielder Michael Harris had a career-high 11 Runs Saved, tied for 7th at the position last season.  

    Catcher Sean Murphy was one of the best catchers in MLB at blocking potential wild pitches last season. He’s going to miss the start of the season with a cracked rib. Top prospect Drake Baldwin could be his replacement for now. He’s rated as an average defensive catcher in the minors.

    And pitcher Chris Sale didn’t just win a Cy Young Award last year. He also won a Gold Glove, though actually Spencer Schwellenbach is the one on the staff with the best defensive numbers.

    Team Weaknesses

    The outfield has the potential to be problematic. Newcomer Jurickson Profar (left field) could be dicey. Profar ranks next-to-last in Runs Saved in left field over the last two seasons.

    And when Ronald Acuña Jr. comes back from his torn ACL, he’s going to have to play right field given that Marcell Ozuna is the main DH. Acuña had -7 Runs Saved in 48 games there last season.

     Other things to consider

    If you were looking for Ozzie Albies and Orlando Arcia in the strengths list, we don’t think they belong there. Check out their Runs Saved totals the last few seasons. Albies has 3, -1, 1, and 1 at second base the last four years. Arcia has -6 and -1 at shortstop the last two years.

    Are They A Good Defensive Team?

    The Braves are an average-to-good defensive team in most spots, which should position them in or close to the Top 10. But they have the potential to have some significant in-the-moment issues within games given the potential weaknesses of their corner outfielders.

  • Are the Phillies A Good Defensive Team?

    Are the Phillies A Good Defensive Team?

    Photo: John Cordes/Icon Sportwire

    Part of a series of articles previewing the defensive performance of all 30 MLB teams by asking the question … are they good? To see the full series, click here.

    2024 Defensive Runs Saved Rank: 18th

    Team Strengths

    Bryson Stott was one of the better-performing defensive second baseman in the National League last season, as only Brice Turang, Ketel Marte, and Otto Lopez totaled more than his 7 Runs Saved. He could stand to be a lot more effective at turning double plays but he’s still a solid defender.

    Dare we say it but Bryce Harper was pretty good in his first year as a full-time first baseman last season. He finished with 5 Runs Saved and didn’t look out of place at all. He was a deserving Gold Glove finalist.

    Johan Rojas will primarily be a late-game replacement and an outfield with Rojas in center field, Brandon Marsh in left field, and Max Kepler in right field at the end of games will be a tough one to hit the ball past. Marsh, who will probably start games in his weaker position, center field,  had 7 Runs Saved in left field last season. After a slow start in 2024, Rojas had 4 Runs Saved in center field (and 14 in 2023). Kepler, who will start games in left field, has never finished a season with negative Runs Saved in right field.

    The Phillies have a group of very good fielding pitchers, particularly Ranger Suárez (MLB-best 22 Runs Saved in the last four seasons, though currently injured) and Zack Wheeler (14 Runs Saved in that same span, which ranks T-4th)

    Team Weaknesses

    The Phillies have two distinct and significant weaknesses:

    Nick Castellanos has had at best -9 Runs Saved in right field in each of the last four seasons and his -40 Runs Saved in that span is easily worst at the position.

    Trea Turner has had a rough go of it at shortstop the last two seasons, tallying -10 and -14 Runs Saved, respectively. His -24 Runs Saved in that time is worst among shortstops.

    Other Things To Know

    We didn’t list J.T. Realmuto as a strength or weakness. But the last two years, Realmuto has not provided the defensive value he did in 2022, when he threw out 42% of basestealers and saved 11 Runs. He’s thrown out 17% and 19% the last two years and hasn’t done well in either season in our pitch framing stats. 

    We’re also not listing Alec Bohm in the weakness column, which we would have done in past years. Bohm had his best defensive season in 2024, finishing with 0 Runs Saved at third base.

    Alec Bohm Defensive Runs Saved At 3rd Base

    Season Runs Saved
    2020 -7
    2021 -12
    2022 -17
    2023 -9
    2024 0

    Are The Phillies A Good Defensive Team?

    Good, relative to some of the Phillies teams of the recent past? Yes. Good compared to the rest of the major leagues? They’re not a first-tier team. On their best day, they might be at the edge of the second tier, but they’re more likely what average looks like.

  • Are The Mets A Good Defensive Team?

    Are The Mets A Good Defensive Team?

    Photo: Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire

    Part of a series of articles previewing the defensive performance of all 30 MLB teams by asking the question … are they good? To see the full series, click here.

    2024 Defensive Runs Saved Rank: 15th

    Team Strengths

    New center fielder Jose Siri finished tied for 3rd in Runs Saved last season. There’s a little bit of high-risk, high-reward to his game, as he had a high total of Defensive Misplays & Errors, but the net result is pretty good. Last year he specialized in taking away hits on shallow fly balls.

    Player Runs Saved
    Jarren Duran 17
    Daulton Varsho 16
    Jose Siri 12
    Michael A. Taylor 12
    Jacob Young 12

    Francisco Alvarez’s catching is such that it has to be listed as both a strength and a weakness (he’ll miss the start of the season with a fractured left hand). Alvarez has been a very good pitch framer in each of the last two seasons. The rest of his game, as noted below, needs work, but it’s hard to quibble considering the team went 57-25 when he caught in 2024.

    In Alvarez’s absence, Luis Torrens will get a good amount of playing time behind the plate. Torrens threw 13-of-28 would-be basestealers out last season, by far the best he’s ever fared in any defensive stat. We’ll see if he can replicate that magic.

    Tyrone Taylor is probably going to see some time at all three outfield spots. He was fantastic filling in for Starling Marte in right field last year but he won’t play there much this year with Juan Soto’s arrival.

     Team Weaknesses

    Third baseman Mark Vientos seemed to get better as the season progressed but the numbers don’t fully reflect that. He finished with -6 Runs Saved in 2024 and with Pete Alonso sticking around, and a Jesse Winker/Marte platoon at DH, Vientos has to play third base.

    The aforementioned issues with Alvarez’s catching are pitch blocking, where he rates as one of the worst in the game, and basestealing prevention, which he got a little better at in 2024, but he’s still a liability.

    Juan Soto isn’t necessarily a bad right fielder (he’s tallied -2 and -1 Runs Saved there in 2022 and 2024). But he does have a weakness on deep fly balls, which could come into play given that Citi Field has a bigger outfield to cover than Yankee Stadium.

    Other Things To Know

    Defensive Runs Saved doesn’t like Francisco Lindor as much as Outs Above Average and MLB’s Defensive Runs Prevented does. It wouldn’t be surprising if he had a good season in that slot and slotted into the ‘strengths’ category, where most of our readership probably thinks he belongs anyway. 

    With Jeff McNeil out due to an oblique strain, Lindor’s start-of-season middle-infield mate will be either Brett Baty or Luisangel Acuña. Baty had 1 Run Saved in 27 games at second base in the minors. Acuña has a little more sample size, with 1 Run Saved in 83 games measured there.

    Are the Mets A Good Defensive Team?

    I wouldn’t go as far as to say they are just yet. The Mets were a far better defensive team in the second half of 2024 than the first half. But this year’s team has a few potential holes.

  • Stat of the Week: 2025 AL Team Defensive Storylines

    Stat of the Week: 2025 AL Team Defensive Storylines

    Over on our website, we’re looking at the defensive strengths and weaknesses of all 30 MLB teams heading into 2025. That makes our look at the top defensive storyline for each team heading into the season easier to do.  

    We’ll do the American League this week and the National League next week. Click on the link for each team for a more detailed analysis.

    Angels – It’s been a little while coming but Mike Trout is finally moving to right field, flipping places with Jo Adell, who will start the season in center field. Past studies that we’ve done at SIS show that center fielders improve by about 8 Runs Saved per 1,000 innings when moving to a corner spot. Meanwhile, Adell was the team’s top defensive outfielder last season, finishing with 6 Runs Saved. Corners typically decline about 7 runs per 1,000 innings when moving to center field.

    Astros – Jose Altuve makes the move from second base to left field. This was another move that was some time in the making. Altuve totaled -41 Runs Saved over the last three seasons, the worst total for any second baseman.

    Athletics – It could be another rough year for the Athletics in the field. Their top-performing defensive player among their current projected starters is Gio Urshela, who had 0 Runs Saved last season.

    Blue Jays – The Blue Jays have been the top team in Defensive Runs Saved the last two seasons and they traded for the best defensive second baseman, Andrés Giménez, who is a wizard when it comes to making plays. He’s still in his prime at age 26 and is the runaway leader in Runs Saved at the position over the last three seasons. 

    Guardians – The Guardians are the team that gave up Giménez and they’ll need to find a way to replace him if they want to finish among the top teams in Defensive Runs Saved again. They’ve finished in the top four twice in the last three seasons, including second last year. 

    Mariners – The Mariners could have a very good outfield if Victor Robles plays like he did after joining the Mariners in the middle of last season and If Randy Arozarena has a season more like 2021 and 2023 (7 and 4 Runs Saved, respectively) than 2022 and 2024 (-6 and -8). 

    Orioles – The Orioles were a Top 10 defensive team in 2022 and 2023 before slipping to 19th in Runs Saved in 2024. They should be better in the outfield with newcomer Tyler O’Neill in left field and Colton Cowser moving to right field, replacing Anthony Santander. And they have the potential to be better at positions like catcher (Adley Rutschman) and shortstop (Gunnar Henderson). 

    Rangers – The Rangers placed 11th in Runs Saved last season but have the pieces to be better if Josh Jung and Evan Carter, who looked so good in the 2023 postseason but dealt with injuries in 2024, are good at third base and center field, respectively.

    Rays – The Rays’ best defensive players are in the minor leagues. Top prospect shortstop Carson Williams and first baseman Tre Morgan both have earned major props from scouts for their defense. Our metrics back that up. They’ve both notched positive Runs Saved totals in the minor leagues, which isn’t that easy to do.

    Red Sox – The Alex Bregman/Rafael Devers ‘who plays third base?’ drama may play out for a little while, but there’s no contest as to which one is the better defender. Bregman, coming off a Gold Glove, will man the spot to start the season. He had 6 Runs Saved at third base last season, 15 more than Devers.

    Royals – The Royals will try to find playing time for Freddy Fermin behind the plate. Salvador Perez has finished with negative Runs Saved at catcher for four straight seasons. Fermin finished 3rd in Runs Saved there in 2024 despite ranking 31st in innings caught.

    Tigers – The Tigers finished 5th in Runs Saved last season, though the team got more from defensive positioning than it did from skill. One thing to watch will be how last year’s youngsters, like shortstop Trey Sweeney and center fielder Parker Meadows, follow up on impressive performances in 2024.

    Twins – It’s said every year but keeping Byron Buxton on the field is vital for the Twins’ success. He had 2 Runs Saved in center field last season. Other Twins center fielders totaled -11 in nearly half of the available innings there.

    White Sox – It can’t be worse for the White Sox than last year, right? They should be better defensively, at least in the outfield where Michael A. Taylor seems the likeliest candidate to play center field. Taylor has the most Runs Saved among center fielders over the last four seasons.

    Yankees – Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm return to positions that have treated them well in the past. Judge has won a Fielding Bible Award for his play in right field. Chisholm has 6 Runs Saved in the equivalent of about a season’s worth of games at second base.

  • Are The A’s A Good Defensive Team?

    Are The A’s A Good Defensive Team?

    Photo: Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire

    Part of a series of articles previewing the defensive performance of all 30 MLB teams by asking the question … are they good? To see the full series, click here.

    2024 Defensive Runs Saved Rank: 29th

    Team Strengths

    Among their projected starters for 2025 via FanGraphs, the team leader in Defensive Runs Saved at a position is third baseman Gio Urshela with 0. 

    Yes, that’s correct. No runs saved is the best they can do at the moment. It’s tough to feel optimistic about their defensive outlook knowing that.

    Team Weaknesses

    They look like they’re going to struggle up the middle.

    Center Fielder J.J. Bleday had -19 Runs Saved there last year, the worst total in the majors. His backup, Esteury Ruiz, had -18 Runs Saved in center field for the A’s in 2023.

    Catcher Shea Langeliers has had back-to-back seasons of -13 and -10 Runs Saved and ranks near the bottom in both pitch framing and pitch blocking.

    Other Things To Know

    There’s some excitement about shortstop Jacob Wilson, a first round pick in 2023, had -4 Runs Saved in 27 games there last season and had -12 Runs Saved in a 66-game sample in the minors the last two years. Eric Longenhagen praised Wilson’s ability to make acrobatic plays, so perhaps the potential is there for him to be better. But we don’t see it just yet.

    The A’s best defensive prospect is center fielder Denzel Clarke whom Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs says is “likely to grow into an elite defender.” Very few minor league center fielders post positive Defensive Runs Saved totals in extended stretches, but Clarke had 3 Runs Saved in center field (and 4 in right field in a short stint) in 88 games in 2024.

    Are the A’s A Good Defensive Team?

    No, they figure to be one of the worst in the majors this year.

  • Are The Mariners A Good Defensive Team?

    Are The Mariners A Good Defensive Team?

    Photo: Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire

    Part of a series of articles previewing the defensive performance of all 30 MLB teams by asking the question … are they good? To see the full series, click here.

    2024 Defensive Runs Saved Rank: 8th

    Team Strengths

    Catcher Cal Raleigh won an AL Gold Glove last season after finishing 2nd at the position with 17 Defensive Runs Saved. Raleigh is one of the best pitch framers in baseball.

    Most Defensive Runs Saved – Catchers in 2024

    Name Runs Saved
    Patrick Bailey 20
    Cal Raleigh 17
    Freddy Fermin 16
    Alejandro Kirk 13
    Jake Rogers 13

    Shortstop J.P. Crawford, a past Gold Glove winner, had his best season yet, totaling 9 Runs Saved, which ranked 7th there. One potential middle infield mate, utility man Dylan Moore, has 9 career Runs Saved in the equivalent of about a season at second base.

    We could list Victor Robles as a strength with a question mark. He’s expected to play right field this season, a spot where he’s totaled 7 Runs Saved in about 400 innings for his career. But this is the same Robles who finished with -10 Runs Saved as a center fielder in 2023 so we’re not ready to make a prediction that he’s going to be a standout.

    Team Weaknesses

    Mariners pitchers tallied -13 Runs Saved last season. Only the Rays were worse. The big culprits were George Kirby and Logan Gilbert, who combined for -10. If the worst thing you could say about a team is that their pitchers don’t defend well, that’s probably a good sign.

    Other Things To Know

    Left fielder Randy Arozarena has an odd track record. In 2021 and 2023 he totaled 7 and 4 Runs Saved at the position, respectively. In 2022 and 2024, he finished with -6 and -8. So it’s anybody’s guess what he’ll be in 2025.

    Center fielder Julio Rodriguez hasn’t had a breakthrough Runs Saved season yet, though other metrics rate him better than ours do. He’s topped out at 3 Runs Saved at that position both in his rookie season and in 2024.

    Are The Mariners A Good Defensive Team?

    Yes, they should be, though some of that is built on Robles and Arozarena cooperating and first base not playing out in a damaging way, with Luke Raley replacing Ty France.

  • Are The Angels A Good Defensive Team?

    Are The Angels A Good Defensive Team?

    Photo: John Cordes/Icon Sportswire

    2024 Defensive Runs Saved Rank: 16th

    Team Strengths

    Right fielder Jo Adell won our Defensive Player of the Month award once in 2024 and finished with a respectable 6 Runs Saved there last season He’s now the team’s center field and we’ll see how his success in right field converts over.

    Shortstop Zach Neto was one of the best in baseball at turning the double play and also one of the best at going up the middle to make plays. He finished tied for 3rd with 11 Defensive Runs Saved at the position. However, he had shoulder surgery and won’t start the season with the team. 

    In his place will be veteran Kevin Newman, who fared alright at shortstop with the Diamondbacks, saving 4 runs in 55 games. He’s had as many as 9 runs saved in a season at the position but also as few as -6, so he’s a bit of a wild card.

    Most Defensive Runs Saved – Shortstop 

    Player Runs Saved
    Masyn Winn 14
    Taylor Walls 12
    Zach Neto 11
    Brayan Rocchio 11
    Geraldo Perdomo 10
    Ezequiel Tovar 10

    Team Weaknesses

    If Yoan Moncada sticks at third base, he’s their biggest defensive liability. In 2023, Moncada finished with -7 Runs Saved, the worst total of his career.

    Taylor Ward allowed way too many runners to advance on his arm last season. He’d have finished with a positive Runs Saved overall if not for a -5 Outfield Arm Runs Saved that pushed him down to 0. The range is fine. The allowing advancement is not up to MLB standards at the moment.

    Other things to consider

    Mike Trout is moving from center field to right field. Trout has rated as an average center fielder when he’s been on the field the last few years. Most center fielders fare well in the other outfield spots. Trout has been an average center fielder over the last couple of seasons. We’ll see how he fares with less ground to cover.

    Past studies that we’ve done at SIS show that center fielders improve by about 8 Runs Saved per 1,000 innings when moving to a corner spot. Meanwhile, Adell was the team’s top defensive outfielder last season, finishing with 6 Runs Saved. Corners typically decline about 7 runs per 1,000 innings when moving to center field.

    Are They A Good Defensive Team?

    I went into this exercise thinking the answer would probably be a no, but in actuality, the Angels being at least average at most spots but only good at a couple makes them middle-of-the-pack relative to the rest of the sport.

  • Are The Orioles A Good Defensive Team?

    Are The Orioles A Good Defensive Team?

    Part of a series of articles previewing the defensive performance of all 30 MLB teams by asking the question … are they good? To see the full series, click here.

    2024 Defensive Runs Saved Rank: T-19th

    Team Strengths

    Gunnar Henderson had 9 Runs Saved in a half-season’s worth of games at shortstop in 2023. That total dipped to 5 Runs Saved in 2024, though his range numbers were still good (he was hurt by turning double plays at a much lower rate than he previously had). Speaking of hurt, Henderson has been bothered by an intercostal strain.  

    Ryan Mountcastle’s strong throw-handling numbers helped bump him up to a career-high 8 Runs Saved at first base in 2024.

    Adley Rutschman hasn’t lived up to the 18 Runs Saved he had as a rookie catcher. He’s one of the better pitch blockers out there but his framing numbers took a hit last season and his stolen base numbers weren’t great either. He’s still a strength of the defense, but he could be a bigger one.

    Team Weaknesses

    Second base may not be a weakness, but it’s a little bit of a question mark. With Jordan Westburg at third base, the job is Jackson Holliday’s. Holliday had -2 Runs Saved in 56 games there last season and a high number of Defensive Misplays & Errors.

    Other Things To Know

    After leading left fielders in Runs Saved in 2020 and 2021, Tyler O’Neill has 0 Runs Saved there in 211 games over the last three seasons. If he could get back to what he used to be, that would be a boost to the Orioles (as was pointed out to me on Reddit, O’Neill and Collin Cowser in the corners should be a better combo than Cowser and Anthony Santander,). Remember too that Baltimore is moving it’s left field fence in by 10 to 20 feet in some areas and shortening its height, which should make it more fielder friendly.

    Cedric Mullins falls into the same category as Henderson and Rutschman – players whose 2024 Runs Saved totals didn’t match their recent past. Mullins had -5 Runs Saved. He had 5 and 7 Runs Saved in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

    By losing Corbin Burnes to the Diamondbacks, the Orioles improved their pitcher defense (which is already pretty good). Burnes had -6 Runs Saved last season because of the abundance of stolen bases he allowed.

    Are The Orioles A Good Defensive Team?

    They may not be one at the moment, but the opportunity is there. If Rutschman, Henderson, O’Neill, and Mullins can perform as the best versions of themselves, the Orioles could be a Top 10 defensive team.

    Year Runs Saved Rank
    2022 9th
    2023 T-6th
    2024 19th

     

  • Are The Yankees A Good Defensive Team?

    Are The Yankees A Good Defensive Team?

    Photo: Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire

    Part of a series of articles previewing the defensive performance of all 30 MLB teams by asking the question … are they good? To see the full series, click here.

    2024 Defensive Runs Saved Rank: 12th

    Team Strengths

    Anthony Volpe has been a very good defensive shortstop in his first two seasons in the majors, with a Gold Glove Award already to his credit. 

    Most Defensive Runs Saved – Shortstops, Last 2 Seasons

    Player Runs Saved
    Dansby Swanson 24
    Ezequiel Tovar 22
    Anthony Volpe 21
    Miguel Rojas  20

    Austin Wells had a very good defensive season in 2024, particularly at pitch framing. He’ll be shouldering much of the coaching load with Jose Trevino having been traded to the Reds.  

    Aaron Judge moves back to his best position right field. He could be a big strength if healthy, which is a big if. He’s not the same fielder he was in his prime days, 2018 and 2019, when he had 18 and 21 runs saved, respectively, to lead the majors.

    Oswaldo Cabrera could see a lot of time at third base this season and that was the best place for him defensively last year. He totaled 7 Runs Saved in about a half-season there. 

    Jazz Chisholm returns to his best defensive spot, second base. He’s totaled 6 Runs Saved there in the equivalent of about a season’s worth of games for his career.

    Team Weaknesses

    The Yankees are currently aligned such that they could play someone average or better at every spot in the field. The only spot that might be an issue is left field with Jasson Dominguez. In 58 games of minor league sample the last two seasons, Dominguez had -4 Runs Saved there.

    Other things to know

    Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger are wild cards here. Goldschmidt has a longstanding history as a good defensive first baseman. But he’s 37 now and looked to be in decline last year. Bellinger is only 30. He looked like he was going to be a very good defensive center fielder early in his career (he won a Fielding Bible Award in right field too) but performed as an average one in Runs Saved in his time with the Cubs.

    Are The Yankees A Good Defensive Team?

    Yes. They could be a very good one. That’s not to say what happened in a couple of innings in the World Series couldn’t repeat itself in isolated circumstances, but the Yankees should be well equipped to prevent that.

  • Are The Red Sox A Good Defensive Team?

    Are The Red Sox A Good Defensive Team?

    Photo: Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire

    Part of a series of articles previewing the defensive performance of all 30 MLB teams by asking the question … are they good? To see the full series, click here.

    2024 Defensive Runs Saved Rank: 6th

    Team Strengths

    Jarren Duran had a major breakthrough defensively last season. He was excellent in center field (led the majors in Runs Saved) and pretty good in left field and he’ll likely mostly play the latter this season, as the Red Sox have the luxury of having a second very good center fielder, in Ceddanne Rafaela.

    Most Defensive Runs Saved – Center Field in 2024

    Player Runs Saved
    Jarren Duran 17
    Daulton Varsho 16
    Jose Siri 12
    Michael A. Taylor 12
    Jacob Young 12
    Ceddanne Rafaela 12

    Wilyer Abreu led all right fielders in Defensive Runs Saved and was good both at chasing balls down and making throws to limit baserunner advancement.

    Trevor Story has saved as many as 21 runs in a season as a shortstop but injuries have limited him to 62 games there the last two seasons. He had 10 Runs Saved in those games though, so he could be impactful.  

    Alex Bregman won a Gold Glove last year and though he’s not Matt Chapman, he’s saved 5 and 6 runs the last two seasons at third base and is considerably better than now-DH Rafael Devers.

    Team Weaknesses

    Catcher Connor Wong ranked next-to-last in Runs Saved at the position last season, with issues both getting called strikes and blocking pitches. The strike-getting has not been at an average level in either of the last two seasons.

    Triston Casas is the weak link on the infield, with -7 runs saved in his brief career at first base. 

    Other Things To Know

    Second baseman David Hamilton could play his way to being a strength. In a small sample last season (39 games), he had 8 Runs Saved at second base.

    Are The Red Sox A Good Defensive Team?

    People bristled at the Red Sox rank in Runs Saved last season and understandably so. The Red Sox outfield saved 53 Runs. The rest of the team saved -4, so even though the team may have been very good in one area it was not good elsewhere.

    This year’s team is shaping up to be more legitimate, particularly if Bregman fits well at third base and Hamilton does likewise at second.