Photo: Wilfredo Perez/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 Team Defensive Runs Saved Rank: 17th

Team Strengths

Catcher Gabriel Moreno has put together two strong seasons, saving 20 runs and winning a Fielding Bible Award in 2023 and then saving 10 runs in 2024. Moreno improved his strike-getting numbers from 2023 to 2024 but slipped a little in both pitch blocking and stolen bases (though teams don’t run often on him). 

Shortstop Geraldo Perdomo had his best defensive season by far in 2024, saving 10 runs after back-to-back seasons with -3. He improved covering ground both in the hole and up the middle. The 2024 season was also a good defensive one for Ketel Marte, who cut back on his misplays and totaled 10 Runs Saved at second base, his best total there since saving 14 in 2018

Team Weaknesses

The Diamondbacks are good up the middle but weaker at the corners. Josh Naylor replacing Christian Walker at first base represents a 13-run defensive downgrade (Walker had 7 Runs Saved in 2024, Naylor had -6). Third baseman Eugenio Suárez, though never terrible at third base, has not finished a season with positive Runs Saved in the last seven years.

The Diamondbacks also have an issue in that their best defensive center fielder, Alek Thomas, is the worst-performing hitter of the potential options. As such, they’ll probably start Jake McCarthy there. He has -4 Runs Saved in just over 100 games in center field.

New staff ace Corbin Burnes had -6 Runs Saved last year after allowing 41 stolen bases. Perhaps he’ll fare better with Moreno catching.

Other Things To Know

One thing that hurt the Diamondbacks last season is that when they didn’t play Moreno or Perdomo, there was a big drop-off defensively. Moreno had 10 Runs Saved last season. His backups had -6 (projected backup Jose Herrera had -2). Perdomo had 10 Runs Saved too. His backups had -5 Runs Saved (Garrett Hampson is a better backup option than what they previously had, though Blaze Alexander, -6 Runs Saved last year, figures to play some after he comes back from a strained oblique.)

Are The Diamondbacks A Good Defensive Team?

They’re largely running back a 2024 team that ranked 17th and lost a Fielding Bible Award-winning first baseman. In sum, they’re not, though they’re in good shape in a few places.