Sports Info Solutions

Log In

Category: 2025 MLB

  • Are the Royals A Good Defensive Team?

    Are the Royals A Good Defensive Team?

    Photo: Scott Grau/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: 7th

    Team Strengths

    Freddy Fermin is one of the best defensive catchers in baseball. He finished third at the position in Defensive Runs Saved despite ranking 31st in innings caught. His strengths were stopping basestealing and also pitch blocking. Royals pitchers had a 3.41 ERA when he caught, 4.06 when Salvador Perez caught.

    Name Runs Saved Innings
    Patrick Bailey 20 908
    Cal Raleigh 17 1,122
    Freddy Fermin 16 663
    Alejandro Kirk 13 766
    Jake Rogers 13 761

    The Royals also had the No. 1 pitching staff in Runs Saved in 2024, a testament to limiting baserunning and having good athletes who could make plays.

    Kyle Isbel is in the starting lineup for his defense. He did dip from 13 Runs Saved in 2023 to 5 in 2024 but he’s still a solid defender.

    Bobby Witt Jr. has turned things around in a big way. Runs Saved isn’t as high on him as other metrics, but he’s gone from -18 Runs Saved as a rookie shortstop in 2022 to 2 Runs Saved last season. He’s headed in a good direction.

    Team Weaknesses

    MJ Melendez’ played every day in left field last season as the Royals looked for a position that he could handle. It likely isn’t this one. He totaled -7 Runs Saved there last season.

    Perez improved his longstanding pitch framing weakness but he doesn’t throw out runners anywhere near the level of Fermin and finished with a negative Runs Saved total at catcher for the 4th straight year. He’s still likely to get most of the time at catcher but his best days may be behind him.

    Other things to consider

    The Royals had a combined 6 Runs Saved at second base last season, but most of that came from Adam Frazier, who signed with the Pirates. FanGraphs currently lists Michael Massey as the starter. He totaled 0 Runs Saved at second in 2024. 

    Jonathan India is currently listed as the main DH and for good reason. Over the last three seasons, he’s totaled -32 Runs Saved at second base, the second-worst total of anyone at the position.

    Are the Royals a good defensive team?

    Yes, particularly up the middle if Ferman is catching, pitchers included.

  • Are The Dodgers A Good Defensive Team?

    Are The Dodgers 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: 3rd

    Team Strengths

    The biggest strength for the Dodgers isn’t necessarily a player but rather their defensive positioning. The Dodgers aggressively move both their infielders and outfielders and the payoff is that they give their players a better chance to make defensive plays. Last year 51 of their 66 Runs Saved came from positioning.

    The Dodgers’ best defensive player actually comes off the bench, shortstop Miguel Rojas. Over the last four seasons he leads all players at the position in Runs Saved, though he’ll be behind starting shortstop Mookie Betts.

    Another strength is the Dodgers’ multi-positional flexibility. Tommy Edman can play center field, second base, and shortstop and play them all well. Betts is capable at shortstop and has a great track record in right field. Rojas has at least 80 games of experience at each infield position. Chris Taylor and Kiké Hernandez can play anywhere on the field.

    Team Weaknesses

    If someone isn’t working out at a position, the Dodgers have the flexibility to move him off that spot pretty quickly. An exception is catcher where – after four straight seasons with a positive Runs Saved – Will Smith totaled -4 Runs Saved, rating below average in both strike getting and pitch blocking. The 2024 season was the first time since 2014 that the Dodgers catchers finished with a negative Runs Saved.

    However, it’s not all bad. Smith threw out 28% of baserunners trying to steal on him, one of the better rates in the majors. The alternative at catcher, Austin Barnes, is a good defender but allowed 48 steals against only 3 caught stealing last season.

    Other Things To Know

    The Dodgers will try Hye-Seong Kim, formerly of the KBO, at second base at some point this season. He’ll start the year in the minors. Kim’s defense, very good by KBO standards, translates to MLB average or thereabouts.

    Are The Dodgers A Good Defensive Team?

    Yes, though it’s more the product of their defensive system than it is the skill of their players. It works very well though, so it’s hard to argue with.

  • Are The Cubs A Good Defensive Team?

    Are The Cubs A Good Defensive Team?

    Photo: Keith Gillett/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: 9th

    Strengths

    The Cubs have a lot of defensive strengths, arguably as many as any team in MLB.

    Pete Crow-Armstrong had an abundance of excellent defensive plays and throws in center field last year. He finished tied for 7th with 11 Runs Saved, contended for a Fielding Bible Award, and expectations are high for him in 2025.

    Dansby Swanson finished 2nd in the range component of Runs Saved among shortstops last season, one year after winning a Fielding Bible Award. 

    Swanson’s double play partner Nico Hoerner has been consistently above-average at second base. He’s averaged almost 9 Runs Saved per 1,000 innings there over the last four years.

    Ian Happ has won three straight Gold Gloves in left field, where he ranks second in Runs Saved to Steven Kwan since the start of 2022. Happ has ably braved the elements and frequently sacrificed his body to make good plays.

    Kyle Tucker comes over from Houston to play right field. Tucker has an MLB-best 30 Runs Saved there over the last four seasons, though a chunk of that is tied to an MLB-leading 7 home run robberies. Tucker goes from one of the easiest right fields to steal a home run in Minute Maid Park to a home park in which it’s impossible to rob a homer, Wrigley Field.

    Weaknesses

    Cubs pitchers finished with -9 Runs Saved and the worst range numbers of any pitching staff last season. Their catcher, Miguel Amaya, had good Runs Saved numbers overall. Most of that came from pitch blocking. He threw out 11 of 89 runners attempting to steal (12%).

    Other Things To Know

    A subtle but notable pickup for the Cubs this winter was utility man Jon Berti, who can play anywhere in the infield or outfield if needed (best position by Runs Saved is third base, worst is center field). He’ll be a useful fill-in.

    Matt Shaw’s development at third base is to be determined. Shaw projects as a 55 Overall Future Value on defense from FanGraphs, which praised his “enthusiastic understanding of defense.” Our numbers had him with -6 Runs Saved in the minors last season.

    Are The Cubs A Good Defensive Team?

    Yes and they could be as good as any team in the National League defensively. They should have an excellent outfield and a solid infield.

  • Are The Cardinals A Good Defensive Team?

    Are The Cardinals 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: 13th

    Team Strengths

    If Nolan Arenado is still on the team, he’s a strength, though not close to what he once was. Pre-pandemic, he’d recorded eight straight seasons of double-digit Runs Saved. Post-pandemic, he’s had seasons of 9, 20, 0, and 6, with the latter being boosted largely by his play in September.

    Masyn Winn led shortstops in Defensive Runs Saved and won a Fielding Bible Award last season. Though not every defensive metric holds him in that high a regard, we view Winn as excellent, and particularly great at turning double plays.

    Michael Siani is going to have to earn a spot in center field, after a year in which he hit .228 with a .570 OPS. But Siani has the potential to be spectacular. He had 8 Runs Saved there last season and was particularly good at chasing down deep fly balls.

    Team Weaknesses

    With Willson Contreras now entrenched at first base (where he’s an unknown, with only 11 MLB games), Ivan Herrera is the starting catcher. Herrera threw out 2 of 57 runners trying to steal against him, which accounted for almost all of his -7 Runs Saved. His one plus is that he’s a good pitch blocker.

    Jordan Walker has not been good in either of his two years in right field, tallying -13 Runs Saved. Same for Nolan Gorman at second base in his three years (-11 Runs Saved). 

    Other Things To Know

    Besides Contreras and how he handles first base, a wild card for the Cardinals will be how Lars Nootbaar fares in center field. In 109 career games in center field, he’s basically been league-average. He’s been very good in right field, with 13 Runs Saved in 213 games.

    One of the reasons the Cardinals finished 13th in Runs Saved was defensive positioning. They netted the 3rd-most Runs Saved of any team in Outfield Positioning area, but that’s not something they can count on again (-1 in 2023). If we looked solely at Runs Saved from defensive skill, they ranked 17th.

    Are The Cardinals A Good Defensive Team?

    If they trade Arenado and don’t play Siani much, it’s going to be a hard sell to say they’re a good defensive team (unless they get a great defender back in trade). Average, probably. Good, probably not. But if they keep both of them, and Arenado plays to past form, they could be pretty good.

  • Are The White Sox A Good Defensive Team?

    Are The White Sox A Good Defensive Team?

    Photo: Larry Placido/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: 30th

    Team Strengths

    The White Sox could  have a good defensive outfield.

    Michael A. Taylor had 12 Runs Saved in center field last year for the Pirates and topped that total in two of the three years prior to that. He’s an excellent defensive center fielder. He just needs to hit enough to get into the lineup.

    Most Defensive Runs Saved – Center Field

    Last 4 Seasons

    Player Runs Saved
    Michael A. Taylor 59
    Kevin Kiermaier 44
    Daulton Varsho 37

     Dominic Fletcher’s defense in right field was one of the brightest spots of a dismal season. He had 15 Good Fielding Plays and 10 Runs Saved in only 43 games there. For context, only one right fielder had more Good Fielding Plays than Fletcher did.

    Luis Robert Jr. was a good center fielder as recently as two years ago and even for a miserable team, he still managed 1 Run Saved in 97 games there last year. Similarly, Mike Tauchman has a good track record and can play all three spots.

    Team Weaknesses

    Left fielder Andrew Benintendi’s best days seem to be behind him. He had -13 Runs Saved last year, the worst total of anyone at the position. Benintendi is going to miss the start of the season with a fractured hand.

    Catcher Korey Lee had a rough go of it last season, tallying -10 Runs Saved there and fared particularly poorly in our pitch framing stat, Strike Zone Runs Saved. 

    The rest of what the White Sox have, with players like Andrew Vaughn and Miguel Vargas and Brandon Drury are mostly average at best from a statistical perspective.

    Other Things To Know

    The White Sox are probably going to eventually play a rookie at shortstop full-time in Colson Montgomery. In three seasons in the minors, he totaled -30 Runs Saved. FanGraphs gives him a Fielding grade of 30 with a Future Value of 40 on the 20 to 80 scale. That’s not great. For now, they’re gonna probably start Josh Rojas at shortstop. He had -13 Runs Saved in a short stint there in 2021 (though he’s not bad at third base). Not great either.

    Are The White Sox A Good Defensive Team? No, but given that their outfield should be much better than the -40 Runs Saved in 2024, they may not be as bad defensively as a team last season. But it’s still a long climb to just being average. 

  • Are the Rockies A Good Defensive Team?

    Are the Rockies A Good Defensive Team?

    Photo: Steven King/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: 14th

    Team Strengths

    Defense is what the Rockies do best and that starts with three players: center fielder Brenton Doyle, third baseman Ryan McMahon, and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar.

    Doyle is the reigning Fielding Bible Award winner at his position. In his first two MLB seasons, he’s posted the two best defensive seasons by a Rockies center fielder since Runs Saved was first tracked in 2003. He covers a lot of ground and he can throw with a velocity in the high 90s.

    McMahon has four straight seasons of at least 10 Runs Saved at third base and finished in the top four in Runs Saved there in each of those seasons. Simply put, he’s an excellent defensive player.

    Tovar is one of baseball’s best defensive shortstops. He’s saved 12 and 10 runs respectively in his first two seasons as a full-time player.

    Defensive Runs Saved Leaders

    Shortstops – Last 2 Years Third Base – Last 4 Years
    1. Dansby Swanson 1. Ke’Bryan Hayes
    2. Ezequiel Tovar 2. Ryan McMahon
    3. Anthony Volpe 3. Matt Chapman

    Additionally, Michael Toglia put up good defensive numbers in his first year as a full-time first baseman. Toglia rated as pretty good at getting to balls hit in the ‘34’ hole and finished with 10 Runs Saved, which ranked 2nd at the position.

    Team Weaknesses

    The Rockies signed Thairo Estrada to play second base this offseason. By our measures, he hasn’t been great there in two of the last three years, with Runs Saved totals of -12, 1, and -7. 

    In 2021, we’d have listed catcher Jacob Stallings as a strength, but his numbers have faltered the last three seasons and look similar to Estrada’s (-9, 0, and -6).

    Other Things To Know

    Nolan Jones looks like he could be a regular starter in left field. Which Jones will the Rockies get? The one who had 8 Runs Saved there in 2023 or the one who had -4 in 2024? Jones has a high-value arm, but he’s got to find a way to get to more balls in Colorado’s spacious outfield.

    Are The Rockies A Good Defensive Team?

    Yes. It wouldn’t be a stretch for the Rockies to have three Gold Glove winners this season. They’re so good where they’re good that it makes up for any deficiencies elsewhere. Now, about the rest of the team …

  • Are the Marlins A Good Defensive Team?

    Are the Marlins A Good Defensive Team?

    Photo: Kevin Abele/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: 27th

    Team Strengths

    Second baseman Otto Lopez had 9 Runs Saved in 103 games at second base. He’s the best defensive player in the starting lineup.

    Catcher Nick Fortes has tallied 5 Runs Saved in each of the last two years as the primary starter. Pitch blocking is his area of expertise. Likely backup Liam Hicks has 5 Runs Saved from the 106 games we tracked of his in the minors.

    Leaders In Runs Saved Via Good Fielding Plays – Catchers

    Last 2 Seasons 

    1. Nick Fortes
    T2. Gabriel Moreno
    T2. J.T. Realmuto
    4. Freddy Fermin

    * Primary good fielding play for catcher = blocking a potential wild pitch

    Team Weaknesses

    The Marlins don’t have any other starting position players who you can say with confidence are going to have a positive Runs Saved at season’s end.

    And they’ve got some weaknesses, among them the left side of the infield with shortstop Xavier Edwards (-8 Runs Saved last season) and third baseman Connor Norby (-5 Runs Saved in 30 games). FanGraphs has Norby as a 30 fielder on the 20-80 scouting scale.

    Other Things To Know

    In some ways this is a hard team to get a read on. They have only one position player with at least three years of service time on the FanGraphs version of their projected roster. 

    Are the Marlins A Good Defensive Team?

    No. There just isn’t a lot to get excited about here at the moment.

  • Stat of the Week: Which Teams Have The Best Defensive Reputations?

    Stat of the Week: Which Teams Have The Best Defensive Reputations?

    Photo: Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire

    We just started a series on our website in which we’ll be asking the question for all 30 teams: Is this a good defensive team heading into 2025?

    You can find the articles here.

    But which teams have the best defensive reputations?

    To answer that, we noted each team’s average rank in Defensive Runs Saved over the last four seasons.  

    Two teams tied for the best average ranking: The Brewers and the Dodgers.

    The Brewers are the only team to rank in the top 6 in Runs Saved in each of the last four seasons. They placed 6th in 2021 and 2022, 2nd in 2023, and 4th in 2024.

    They’re in strong position to do that again. The have four very good defensive outfielders (though Blake Perkins is hurt at the moment), and a Platinum Glove winner at second base in Brice Turang, who led the position in Runs Saved last season.

    The Dodgers have ranked in the top 10 in each of the last four seasons. They’ve finished 10th in 2021, 2nd in 2022, and 3rd in both 2023 and 2024.

    The Dodgers’ success last season was more rooted in the positioning of their players than defensive skill. One of their other biggest strengths is their defensive versatility, with several prominent players (Mookie Betts and Tommy Edman among them) able to play multiple positions.

    Rounding out the top 5 in average rank are the Blue Jays, Guardians, Cardinals, and Rangers, with the latter two teams tied for 5th.

    The Blue Jays are the two-time reigning season leaders in Runs Saved and though Daulton Varsho may play the field less often due to season-ending rotator cuff surgery last season, they added another Platinum Glove winner, second baseman Andrés Giménez.

    The Guardians ranked 3rd in Runs Saved in 2022 and 2nd in 2024, but lost Giménez. They still have a terrific left fielder, Steven Kwan, an impressive young shortstop, Brayan Rocchio, and an improving catcher, Bo Naylor. The Guardians take their defensive play seriously. Both their Triple-A and Double-A affiliates led their respective leagues in Runs Saved last season.

    The Cardinals ranked 1st in 2021 and 5th in 2022, but have slipped to 20th and 13th the last two seasons. The Rangers have three finishes in the top 11, including a 2nd-place standing in 2021.

    Five teams finished with an average rank of 25 or worse. They were the Phillies, Nationals, A’s, Reds, and White Sox.

    Below are the full team rankings:

    Average Rank in Defensive Runs Saved

    Last 4 MLB Seasons

    Team Avg Rank
    Brewers 5
    Dodgers 5
    Blue Jays 6
    Guardians 9
    Cardinals 10
    Rangers 10
    Braves 11
    Astros 11
    Rockies 12
    Yankees 13
    Cubs 13
    Diamondbacks 13
    Rays 13
    Mariners 14
    Orioles 14
    Tigers 15
    Twins 15
    Mets 16
    Padres 16
    Red Sox 18
    Royals 18
    Marlins 18
    Angels 19
    Pirates 21
    Giants 21
    Phillies 25
    Nationals 25
    Athletics 26
    Reds 27
    White Sox 28

     

  • Are The Reds A Good Defensive Team?

    Are The Reds A Good Defensive Team?

    Photo: Nick Wosika/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: 28th

    Team Strengths

    Matt McLain replaces defensively-challenged Jonathan India at second base, which should be an upgrade. In a small sample (37 games), McLain had 0 Runs Saved at second base, but in a little bit larger sample, he had 4 Runs Saved at shortstop.

    Despite -8 Runs Saved last season, Austin Hays’ defense in left field could be a strength now that he’s past a calf injury and kidney infection. From 2020 to 2023, Hays had 19 Runs Saved in the equivalent of about two full seasons in left field.

    Jose Trevino was added this offseason to improve the Reds backup catcher spot. His 45 Runs Saved over the last 4 seasons lead all catchers and he’s an excellent pitch framer. He should come into any game with a small lead entering the 8th or 9th inning given how much better he is defensively than anyone else the Reds have.

    Most Defensive Runs Saved – Catchers

    Last 4 Seasons

    Player Runs Saved
    Jose Trevino 45
    Alejandro Kirk 36
    Austin Hedges 36
    Patrick Bailey 33
    Gabriel Moreno 32
    Cal Raleigh 32

     Team Weaknesses

    The Reds need Tyler Stephenson’s bat, as his 2024 OPS as a catcher was more than  250 points higher than his backup, Luke Maile. But Stephenson could stand to improve behind the plate, where his -19 Runs Saved over the last two seasons ranked 3rd-worst among catchers. 

    Jeimer Candelario is penciled in at third base, where for his career he’s at -25 Runs Saved. Center field is another position where the numbers don’t look good. T.J. Friedl has -10 Runs Saved in the equivalent of about 1 1/2 seasons for his career.

    Other Things To Know

    We didn’t list Elly De La Cruz as a strength or a weakness. For those unfamiliar, De La Cruz is among the players on whom Defensive Runs Saved and MLB’s Fielding Run Value (an offshoot of Outs Above Average) differ most strongly.

    De La Cruz totaled -2 Runs Saved last season, as the stat recognized his excellence on plays in the 56 hole, but penalized him significantly for failing to make as many plays as expected on balls hit up the middle. He also didn’t rate well at turning double plays.

    At the moment, he’s a high-risk, high-reward defensive player who will make both great plays and frustrating mistakes. He has the skills to be quite good. Maybe this year his Runs Saved will show that.

    Are The Reds A Good Defensive Team?

    No, because the positives don’t offset the negatives and because they have one good starting defender at the four up-the-middle positions.

  • Are the Rays A Good Defensive Team?

    Are the Rays A Good Defensive Team?

    Photo: David J. Griffin/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: Tied for 21st

    Team Strengths

    The Rays have an abundance of talented middle infielders. Shortstop Taylor Walls is challenged as a hitter(.188 BA in 1,080 career at-bats) but his terrific glove keeps him on the field. He ranked 2nd in Runs Saved at shortstop last season despite ranking 28th in innings played.

    Most Defensive Runs – Shortstops in 2024

    Player Runs Saved
    Masyn Winn 14
    Taylor Walls 12
    Brayan Rocchio 11
    Zach Neto 11

    Once Ha-Seong Kim gets fully healthy from October surgery to fix a torn labrum, he’ll be a plus defender wherever the Rays place him. He saved 10 runs at second base in 2023, so he’d be an easy fit there.

    Team Weaknesses

    With the trade of center fielder Jose Siri to the Mets, the Rays don’t have much else to be excited about defensively. The best Rays defenders are in the minor leagues, as you’ll read below.

    Danny Jansen is projected to be the starting catcher but the formerly good ex-Blue Jay totaled -11 Runs Saved last season and rated poorly at both strike throwing and stopping basestealers.

    Yandy Diaz is a much, much better hitter than fielder He finished with -5 Runs Saved at first base last season, a dip from 0 in 2023. In 2022, he totaled -14 at third base.

    Other Things To Know

    It looks like Jonny DeLuca is going to play center field rather than a corner spot. Of the current Rays projected outfield starters, DeLuca would seem to have the highest ceiling given that he’s one of the fastest players in baseball, which allows him to chase down a lot of balls. But being a great center fielder is difficult given how good even an average center fielder is. DeLuca had -1 Run Saved in about a quarter-season in center last year and posted 6 Runs Saved in slightly more time in right field.

    The Rays have two of the best defensive prospects in the minor leagues, though you may not see them this season. Shortstop Carson Williams tied for 2nd among minor league shortstops in Runs Saved in 2024. The Rays have given him a full year at all three levels he’s played at, so he might spend the whole season or close to it in Triple-A.

    First baseman Tre’ Morgan finished with 1 Run Saved there last season but got an 80 future grade on the 20-80 scouting scale in FanGraphs’ evaluation of the top 100 minor league prospects. He’s still a bit away from the majors, as he’s played only 21 games above A-ball.

    Are The Rays A Good Defensive Team?

    Not now, but in a year they could be a lot closer to being a good one than they are at the moment.