Overview
- MLB.com’s Mike Petriello projects Toronto as the top defensive club for 2026, with the Cubs, Red Sox, Guardians, and Diamondbacks rounding out the top five.
- Toronto, which led MLB in team DEF in 2025, could tighten its infield by sliding Andrés Giménez to shortstop after Bo Bichette’s move to the Mets, though newcomer Kazuma Okamoto is a question at third base.
- Petriello’s exercise incorporates DEF-based projections with expected playing time and manual tweaks to limit designated hitter influence on team totals.
- Arizona’s defense is projected as a strength with no obvious holes, boosted by the Nolan Arenado trade and strong recent metrics from Corbin Carroll (+10 OAA), Geraldo Perdomo (+5 OAA), and catcher Gabriel Moreno.
- Boston appears in the projected top five despite mixed signals across defensive metrics in 2025, with an elite outfield, a weaker infield, and a 2026 rotation that may generate more ground balls.