Byron Buxton never played in the outfield, yet the Minnesota Twins still placed ninth in Major League Baseball for Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) in 2023. Although Buck returns in 2024 and appears to be playing at his best on the field, the team’s DRS of -10 to begin the season ranks them 27th in the league. How are the Twins being affected by defensive stress with guys like Willi Castro, Austin Martin, Manuel Margot, and Alex Kirilloff being forced into various defensive responsibilities as a result of injuries to Carlos Correa, Max Kepler, and Royce Lewis, as well as Matt Wallner’s demotion?
On paper, the 2024 Twins were projected to align even better defensively than 2023. The loss of Michael A. Taylor was to be offset by Buxton’s return to the field, coupled with the addition of defense-first outfielder Manuel Margot. Correa’s plantar fasciitis (which plagued him in 2023) was gone, and fellow infielder and playoff star Royce Lewis was healthy enough to take over duties at third base. Unfortunately, a wrench was thrown into this defensive alignment early, forcing the team to adjust.
To this point, the adjustment hasn’t gone very well. As I mentioned, the Twins rank 27th out of 30 in DRS. The most difficult fielder to replace has been Correa. Castro has taken over as the primary shortstop in his absence, accounting for -4 DRS in just 92 innings. While Castro has produced +1 Out Above Average (OAA), according to Statcast, he isn’t as productive at the position as the former Platinum Glove winner. Castro has struggled to play out of position as the Band-Aid shortstop. He should be looking forward to Correa’s return, whereupon he can go back to being a utility man.
Rookie Austin Martin has also been thrust into his debut earlier than anticipated in the young season. While Martin has looked increasingly comfortable at the plate, he continues to work to find his footing in the field. So far, Martin has accounted for -4 DRS and -1 OAA in his early action across all three outfield spots. While the defensive metrics aren’t ideal, Martin possesses excellent athleticism and should be able to work through the kinks by getting experience under his belt. He’s already making an impact at the plate, and I’d be willing to bet his defense will also improve. I think Martin has shown enough to believe he can remain with the team as a utility player for the remainder of the season.
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