With all the 2023 rule changes we’re about to see, there’s been a common theme: More action. More balls in play, more quickly. If that comes to pass – and even if it doesn’t, given the presence of the shift restrictions – it’s going to put more pressure on a team’s fielders, since they now can’t position themselves as freely and don’t have the time to get into those unorthodox positions between pitches anymore anyway.
With that in mind, a few teams have made real, clear improvements to their defenses headed into 2023. We’d like to say that’s evidence of a sport-wide trend, though we can’t quite go that far, since it’s fair to look at the Dodgers, Marlins, Padres and Royals and wonder if their winter changes have made the fielding weaker, not better.
But for this trio of teams, all of whom harbor some hopes of being in the playoff mix this year, the defense looks like it’s taking a big step forward, in ways that are going to be pretty easily noticeable.
