With the All-Star Break coming and the first half of the season complete, this seemed like a good time to look at the All-Defense Team to this point. We’ll use the Defensive Runs Saved leaderboard as our basis for selection.
2021 Defensive Runs Saved Leaders By Position
| Position |
Name |
Team |
DRS |
| 1B |
Max Muncy |
Dodgers |
6 |
| 2B |
Marcus Semien |
Blue Jays |
7 |
| |
Ryan McMahon |
Rockies |
7 |
| SS |
Isiah Kiner-Falefa |
Rangers |
10 |
| 3B |
Joshua Fuentes |
Rockies |
11 |
| LF |
7 players tied* |
|
6 |
| CF |
Kiké Hernández |
Red Sox |
9 |
| RF |
Adam Duvall |
Marlins |
9 |
| C |
Jacob Stallings |
Pirates |
7 |
| |
Elias Díaz |
Rockies |
7 |
| P |
Dallas Keuchel |
White Sox |
6 |
| Overall |
Ryan McMahon |
Rockies |
13 |
* Mike Tauchman (Giants), Raimel Tapia (Rockies), Seth Brown (Athletics), Austin Hays (Orioles), Alex Verdugo (Red Sox), Tyler O’Neill (Cardinals), Randy Arozarena (Rays).
Rockies infielder Ryan McMahon, previously featured here aas the Defensive Player of the Month for May, is the current overall leader in Defensive Runs Saved with 13.
He’s also one of three Rockies who are either leading a position or tied for the lead at a position. McMahon is tied with Blue Jays second baseman Marcus Semien for the Runs Saved lead at second base. Joshua Fuentes, who was June’s Defensive Player of the Month, leads at third base, and Elias Díaz is tied for the lead at catcher with Jacob Stallings of the Pirates.
Díaz’s ascension to the top of this leaderboard deserves a mention. Two seasons ago with the Pirates, he finished last among all players in Defensive Runs Saved, as he cost them 21 runs. This season, he’s saved 7 runs, with 4 of them attributed to basestealing deterrence. Diaz has as many caught stealing (7) as he has stolen bases allowed (7) and also has 3 pickoffs.
His teammate, Fuentes, could become the second player to lead different positions in Runs Saved in consecutive seasons. He co-led in Runs Saved at first base in 2020.
The other infielders are first baseman Max Muncy of the Dodgers and shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa of the Rangers. Kiner-Falefa and Semien are atop their respective positions after switching from another position. Kiner-Falefa was a standout at third base in 2020. Semien was coming off a down year at shortstop with the Athletics, but the position change and team change seem to have done him considerable good.
Speaking of positional changes, utility man Kiké Hernández has made center field his primary spot in his first season with the Red Sox and handled it well. He leads all players at that position in Runs Saved. Marlins right fielder Adam Duvall, primarily a left fielder throughout his career, won Defensive Player of the Month in April and continues to lead right fielders in Runs Saved.
Last, but certainly not least, Dallas Keuchel of the White Sox is the Runs Saved leader among pitchers. Keuchel has previously won four Fielding Bible Awards, tied with Mark Buehrle for the most at the position.