Baseball Glossary › Defensive Runs Saved
Defensive Runs Saved (DRS)
Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) measures how many runs a fielder saved or cost his team compared with an average defender at his position. It counts range, errors, outfield arm and double-play ability, built on Baseball Info Solutions data that charts where every ball is hit. Zero is average and positive numbers mean runs saved.
What to Know
Like UZR, DRS gives a fielder extra credit for converting difficult balls and docks him for missing makeable ones, then turns that score into runs. The two systems differ only slightly in formula, so they usually rank fielders similarly.
FanGraphs places DRS on the same rough tiers as UZR: about +15 is Gold Glove caliber, +10 great, +5 above average, 0 average, -5 below average, -10 poor and -15 awful. FanGraphs also cautions that the underlying data is recorded by human scorers, so no single season should be treated as exact.
DRS vs OAA: Outs Above Average comes from Statcast tracking and is measured in outs, while DRS is measured in runs. Because runs are the common currency of WAR, run-based defense lets a glove-first player be compared directly with a slugger.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does DRS mean in baseball?
DRS stands for Defensive Runs Saved. It estimates how many runs a fielder saved or cost his team compared with an average defender at the same position, using batted-ball location data.
What is a good DRS?
FanGraphs uses the same rough scale for DRS as for UZR over a full season: about +15 is Gold Glove caliber, +10 great, +5 above average, 0 average, and negative numbers below average.
How is Defensive Runs Saved calculated?
Every ball in play is charted by location. A fielder gains credit for converting balls that are rarely turned into outs and loses credit for missing balls that usually are. The result is compared with league average and converted to runs.
Is DRS better than UZR?
Neither is clearly better. They use the same concept with slightly different formulas and agree on most players. Looking at both, plus Outs Above Average, gives a fuller picture than relying on one.
Can DRS be negative?
Yes. A negative DRS means the fielder cost his team runs compared with an average defender at his position. Zero is exactly average.
Who publishes Defensive Runs Saved?
DRS is built on data from Baseball Info Solutions, the company behind the Fielding Bible. FanGraphs and other sites display it alongside UZR and Outs Above Average.
Related Terms
Sources
- MLB.com Glossary: Defensive Runs Saved (DRS)
- FanGraphs Sabermetrics Library: DRS
- FanGraphs Sabermetrics Library: UZR
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