The Dodgers ranked 3rd in the majors in Defensive Runs Saved in 2024, which, given the names on the roster, probably leads you to think that certain players must have had big defensive seasons.

But that’s actually not the case. The Dodgers’ success was a collective effort, one they’ll try to carry through the World Series beginning Friday night.

Here’s a deeper look at the team’s performance in 2024.

Strengths

Defensive Positioning

We wrote about this back in May. What makes the Dodgers’ defense so good is not so much the skill of their players but that their players are often situated in the best spots to make plays.

The Dodgers led the majors with 51 Positioning Runs Saved this season. Both their infield positioning total (34) and outfield positioning total (17) ranked No. 1 in MLB.

Though the sport has made changes to try to limit the usage of shifts, teams still play partial versions of them. They’ll move their shortstop or second baseman adjacent to second base to try to cut balls off and move other infielders around to limit the damage on pulled ground balls.

During the regular season, the Dodgers had a partial shift on against 83% of the balls in play, the second-highest rate in MLB (Mariners 86%). Against left-handed batters, they had it on for 97% of balls in play, basically matching the Mariners for the highest rate. And it paid off.

Track record

The Dodgers have four past Fielding Bible Award winners on their roster in Mookie Betts, Tommy Edman, Kevin Kiermaier, and Kiké Hernández. 

They also have several other players with strong defensive reputations. Freddie Freeman has been one of the game’s best throw-scoopers. At age 35, Miguel Rojas, even hampered by a thigh strain, is putting up numbers better than his peers, most of whom are at least 5 years younger than him. Will Smith and Max Muncy also have good defensive histories.

Kiermaier had 10 Runs Saved in center field this season. Edman has 11 Runs Saved in about the equivalent of one season in his career at shortstop. Rojas had 8 Runs Saved at shortstop. Hernández played 6 positions this season (not counting pitcher) and was average or better at all of them. Betts has only 3 Runs Saved over his last 150 games in right field (2023 and 2024 combined) but would have had more if he wasn’t at shortstop for much of the year.

These players may not be at their peak, but if you’re looking for one good defensive moment from them in a key spot, these players are capable of excellence.

And this goes hand in hand with …

Versatility

If you want to play for the Dodgers you have to be flexible. When someone significant gets hurt (see Freddie Freeman), the Dodgers can replace him without losing as much as other teams would. 

Look at the Dodgers’ starters around the infield and outfield in Game 6 of the NLCS.

(career totals)

1B- Max Muncy: 

Has made at least 90 starts at 3 positions

2B- Chris Taylor: 

Has made at least 10 starts at 6 positions

SS- Tommy Edman: 

Has made at least 50 starts at 5 positions

3B- Kiké Hernández: 

Has made at least 10 starts at 7 positions

LF- Teoscar Hernández: 

Has made at least 75 starts at all 3 outfield positions

CF- Andy Pages: 

Has made at least 4 starts at all 3 outfield positions (in less than a full season)

RF- Mookie Betts: 

Has made at least 70 starts at 4 positions

We mentioned that Edman, Kiké Hernández, and Betts have won Fielding Bible Awards. They’ve each won for multi-position play.

Weaknesses

Andy Pages and Teoscar Hernández as currently situated

Andy Pages has posted good defensive numbers in right field this season. So has Tesocar Hernandez. But neither is likely to play there this series barring an injury to Mookie Betts.

So the Dodgers will live with Pages’ -8 Runs Saved in center field (much of which was accumulated early in the season) and Hernández’s -8 in left field and hope that their bats outweigh whatever happens in the field. 

Pitch Blocking and Pitch Framing

This one surprised us because it hasn’t been a noticeable issue in the NLDS or NLCS. Will Smith, normally a solid defensive catcher, had a rough year when it came to both pitch blocking and pitch framing, totaling -5 Runs Saved in each. Only three catchers were worse by Runs Saved in framing, 2 were worse in blocking. Neither of these had been a significant problem for Smith in the past.

And it should be pointed out that Smith makes up for this. His 8 Runs Saved on stolen bases led MLB (his caught stealing percentage is 28% at a time when average is around 21%).

Three other things

* Speaking of stolen bases, here’s a look at how some of the Dodgers’ prominent pitchers fared when it came to limiting them.

* Gavin Lux’s return from a knee injury this year didn’t go well on the defensive side. Lux had defensive issues in spring training that necessitated his flipping positions with Mookie Betts. 

Lux played regularly at second base in 2024 but didn’t live up to his past numbers (15 Runs Saved spaced out over four seasons). He totaled -2 Runs Saved, in particular not doing well statistically on balls hit in the 3-4 hole.  He didn’t start Games 4, 5 or 6 of the LCS and it will be interesting to see what his World Series role is.

* Austin Barnes had a bigger role in postseasons past as Clayton Kershaw’s catcher. He’s appeared in only one game this postseason and probably won’t see the field unless Will Smith is hurt. Though Barnes is a standout pitch framer and pitch blocker, in today’s game he’s a liability. He allowed 48 stolen bases and had only 3 caught stealings during the 2024 regular season.