Inside The Rangers

In Defense Of 2023 World Series Matchup: No Teams Flash Better Leather Than Rangers, D-backs

Make no mistake, the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks were the two best defensive teams in the majors in 2023.

Stefan Stevenson

In Defense Of 2023 World Series Matchup: No Teams Flash Better Leather Than Rangers, D-backs
In Defense Of 2023 World Series Matchup: No Teams Flash Better Leather Than Rangers, D-backs /
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ARLINGTON, Texas — The 2023 World Series might not be the flashiest matchup, but make no mistake, these are the two best teams.

The American League champion Texas Rangers and National League champion Arizona Diamondbacks led the majors in fewest errors and fielding percentage during the regular season.

Arizona led the league with only 56 errors. The Rangers were right behind them with 57 errors. Both teams had a .990 fielding percentage. 

It's the first time the World Series has featured the two teams with the fewest regular-season errors since 1946 when the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Boston Red Sox.

How good defensively were those teams? Their glove work wouldn't cut it in 2023. The Cardinals had a league-low 124 errors. The Red Sox were second with 139. And that was in a 156-game season. They had fielding percentages of .980 and .977.

How does that compare to current-day defense? The San Francisco Giants led the league with 117 errors in 162 games in 2023.

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You can follow Stefan Stevenson on Twitter @StefanVersusTex.

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Stefan Stevenson
STEFAN STEVENSON

Stefan Stevenson worked as a journalist and editor at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram for 25 years, covering sports, concerts, and general news. His beats have included the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Rangers, and Texas Christian University football.

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