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: 21st

Team Strengths

Patrick Bailey is the reigning Fielding Bible Award winner and was runner-up for the Award in 2023. He’s an excellent pitch framer and a good catcher when it comes to slowing down an opponent’s running game. In sum, he’s the standard-setter at the position.

Matt Chapman looked like something close to the best version of himself in winning the Fielding Bible Award at third base last season. His MLB-leading 17 Runs Saved were his most in a season since he had 23 in 2019. He made many terrific plays at third base and covered ground well to both sides. 

Mike Yastrzemski is a good though not great right fielder, who totaled 5 Runs Saved there last season and can play center field at an above-average level too.

Team Weaknesses

Newly-signed shortstop Willy Adames inexplicably finished last among shortstops with -16 Runs Saved last season. Were Adames to revert to 2022 and 2023 form (9 and 8 Runs Saved at shortstop, respectively), we’d list him as a strength. But given his most recent season, we categorize him here.

Other Things to Know

Center fielder Jung Hoo Lee is a wild card in this whole thing. Lee came to the states with a rep for being a great defensive outfielder in the KBO but got sidelined for the season with an injury before he could fully demonstrate it. In 37 games, he looked the part with effort, but totaled -2 Runs Saved. Without Lee, the Giants spent most of the summer playing Heliot Ramos in center field, which went badly (-15 Runs Saved). He’s much better suited for left field (4 Runs Saved).

For that matter, so is Tyler Fitzgerald, who slides from shortstop to second base with Adames’ signing. Fitzgerald didn’t do well at shortstop last season (-6 Runs Saved) particularly when it came to double plays but gets a shot at another position.

Are The Giants A Good Defensive Team?

The Giants totaled -24 Runs Saved in center field and -11 at shortstop last season. If Lee and Adames can even get those numbers to 0, then the Giants could stake a claim to being a Top 10 defensive team. If not, then they’re a frustrating defensive team, one that is very, very good in a few spots but not so at some important ones.