Maybe David Bote’s defense in 2019 wasn’t as bad as some metrics suggested. According to Statcast’s new infield defense leaderboard, Bote actually had a good season.
Going into 2019, Bote’s defense was considered a strength because of an admirable pre-game routine and Gold-Glove-level DRS and UZR scores (13.4 UZR/150). Last season, however, Bote’s DRS and UZR dropped far below league average (-4.7 UZR/150), indicating reduced range in addition to the more obvious botched routine plays.
But Statcast tells us Bote’s defensive value ranked better than 72% of qualified infielders last season.