Phillies' Improved Defense Could Be Reason Why They Win Championship

After struggling on the defensive side of things for the past three years, the Philadelphia Phillies have turned that around and it could be the reason why they win a World Series title.

May 26, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm (28) makes a catch for an out in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia Phillies have been the best team in baseball to start the year.

They were the first to reach 20 and 30 wins, and were on pace to potentially break the best record in modern Major League Baseball history held by the Seattle Mariners in 2001 when they went 116-46.

When thinking about the Phillies, it's hard not to immediately point to their loaded linup and stacked starting rotation as the reason why they have been so successful.

After signing Bryce Harper to a then-record contract, ownership and the front office have done whatever it takes to surround the superstar with pieces that can make this team a World Series contender.

This has resulted in one appearance in 2022 and an NLCS run last year where they came just one win short of back-to-back Fall Classic trips.

Their offense and starting pitching staff have been the main subject of headlines as Philadelphia has dominated the early portion of the calendar, but it actually might be their defense that earns them their first World Series title since 2008.

Mike Axisa of CBS Sports dove into the numbers that has powered the Phillies' start and noted the improvement their infield and outfield have shown since 2021.

That year, when they finished two games above .500, they were -54 in defensive runs saved and -22 in outs above average. During their World Series appearing season they improved to -33 in defensive runs saved but regressed to -38 in OAA.

With Johan Rojas getting called up in the summer of 2023, those numbers improved to -30 defensive runs saved and -4 outs above average.

Solid numbers, but nothing to hang their hat on.

Now, Philadelphia has finally made the jump into being considered an above-average defensive team.

They are +9 in defensive runs saved and +4 in OAA, something that has major benefits for everyone in the clubhouse, including their pitching staff who has less time on the mound and have to throw fewer pitches over the course of the 162-game slate.

That could loom large when the playoffs roll around.

Not only will their staff be fresher, but they also give themselves a much better chance of winning by being solid behind their pitching unit.

This is something to continue monitoring as they get into summer and fall.