Shohei Ohtani posted a league-leading 10.1 WAR. Advanced metrics now isolate run prevention, batted ball quality, and defensive value to separate real impact from traditional surface stats. The breakdown highlights where standard numbers diverge from underlying performance.
Key Takeaways
- Ronald Acuna Jr. led MLB with 73 SB in 2023
- Andrelton Simmons led MLB with +25 Defensive Runs Saved at SS in 2017
- In 2023, Aaron Judge recorded the highest average exit velocity in MLB at 95.9 mph
- Corbin Burnes led MLB with 2.45 ERA in 2023 among qualified starters
- Shohei Ohtani led MLB with 10.1 WAR in 2023
This matchup highlights how decisive pitching and timely hitting can swing advanced results quickly.
Related reading
01 · Category
Baserunning Metrics21 stats
01
Ronald Acuna Jr. led MLB with 73 SB in 2023
02
Corbin Carroll had 54 SB and 80.6% success rate in 2023
03
Elly De La Cruz stole 67 bases at 75.3% success in 2023
04
Jazz Chisholm Jr. posted 40 SB with 82.6% success rate 2023
05
Brice Turang led NL with 50 SB in 2023
06
Esteury Ruiz had 50 SB but 67.7% success in 2023
07
Nolan Jones stole 33 SB at 84.6% in 2023
08
Jarren Duran had 24 SB and top BsR of 8.2 in 2023
09
Ha-Seong Kim posted 38 SB with 90.5% success 2023
10
Will Benson had 22 SB but high 82% success
11
Michael Harris II stole 23 at 82.1% in 2023
12
Bobby Witt Jr. had 49 SB and 7.1 BsR in 2023
13
Trea Turner posted 30 SB despite injury in 2023
14
Josh Rojas had 25 SB at 86.2% success 2023
15
Joey Wiemer stole 21 with 80.8% rate
16
Jake McCarthy had 26 SB and 6.4 BsR in 2023
17
Garrett Mitchell posted 22 SB pre-injury 2023
18
Sal Frelick had high sprint speed 29.0 ft/sec in 2023 debut
19
Victor Scott II stole 20 in minors but MLB pace high 2023
20
Masyn Winn had 12 SB at 92.3% success early 2023
21
Jordan Westburg posted positive BsR in limited action 2023
Interpretation
Baserunning Metrics Interpretation
The modern stolen base is an art of both volume and precision, where old-school bandits like Acuña rack up heists and new-school accountants like Kim audit the basepaths with near-perfect efficiency.
02 · Category
Fielding Metrics30 stats
01
Andrelton Simmons led MLB with +25 Defensive Runs Saved at SS in 2017
02
Mookie Betts had +12 Outs Above Average in RF in 2023
03
Matt Chapman topped 3B with +29 DRS in 2022
04
Francisco Lindor led SS with +15 OAA in 2023
05
Dansby Swanson had +10 DRS at SS in 2023
06
Will Smith posted +12 FRV at C in 2023 per Statcast
07
J.T. Realmuto led catchers with +8 DRS in 2023
08
Adley Rutschman had top pop time avg 1.92 sec in 2023
09
Sean Murphy's arm strength 85.2 mph avg in 2023
10
Christian Vazquez had +15 FRV at C in 2022
11
Kevin Kiermaier led CF with +28 DRS in 2023
12
Cedric Mullins had +12 OAA in CF 2023
13
Jarren Duran posted +9 Defensive Runs in CF 2023
14
Steven Kwan led LF with +15 DRS in 2023
15
Ian Happ had +11 OAA across LF/CF in 2023
16
Brice Turang topped 2B with +12 DRS in 2023
17
Ketel Marte had +8 UZR/150 at 2B in 2023
18
Nico Hoerner led NL 2B with +10 OAA in 2023
19
Ha-Seong Kim had +14 DRS at 2B/SS in 2023
20
Jose Altuve posted +5 FRV despite age in 2023
21
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. improved to +3 OAA at 1B in 2023
22
Paul Goldschmidt had +4 DRS at 1B 2023
23
Christian Walker led 1B with +12 DRS in 2023
24
Rhys Hoskins had negative but relative +2 UZR at 1B 2023
25
Nolan Arenado topped 3B with +10 DRS career but +2 in 2023
26
Austin Riley had -5 OAA at 3B 2023
27
Ke'Bryan Hayes posted +9 DRS at 3B 2023
28
Elly De La Cruz had +4 OAA at SS despite errors in 2023
29
Ezequiel Tovar +7 DRS at SS 2023
30
Bobby Witt Jr. had +5 OAA at SS 2023
Interpretation
Fielding Metrics Interpretation
While these elite defensive metrics make it clear who's vacuuming up balls in the field, they also quietly reveal that in modern baseball, saving runs with a glove has become its own precise and celebrated science.
03 · Category
Offensive Metrics30 stats
01
In 2023, Aaron Judge recorded the highest average exit velocity in MLB at 95.9 mph
02
Ronald Acuna Jr. led MLB with a 13.9% Barrel rate in 2023
03
Shohei Ohtani's 2023 xwOBA was .446, the highest in MLB
04
Juan Soto had a 17.8% walk rate in 2023, second highest among qualified hitters
05
Mookie Betts posted a .419 wOBA in 2023 with a 155 wRC+
06
Corey Seager's 2023 Hard Hit% was 49.2%, top 5 in MLB
07
Freddie Freeman led NL with a .977 OPS in 2023 regular season
08
Yordan Alvarez had a .627 SLG in 2023, highest among qualified AL hitters
09
Matt Olson's 2023 ISO was .278, leading qualified players
10
Bryce Harper's 2023 xSLG was .595, elite projection
11
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a 14.2% Barrel% in 2023 second half
12
Ketel Marte posted a .376 wOBA in 2023 with 142 wRC+
13
Marcell Ozuna's 2023 Hard Hit% reached 48.1%, top 3
14
Rafael Devers had .300/.385/.581 slash in 2023
15
Adolis Garcia led MLB with 39 HR in 2023 despite .469 SLG
16
Elly De La Cruz's 2023 Sprint Speed avg 29.5 ft/sec, elite
17
Jazz Chisholm Jr. had 15.1% Barrel% in 2023
18
Oneil Cruz avg exit velo 95.1 mph in 2023, top 10
19
Pete Alonso's 2023 xwOBA was .392
20
Austin Riley had .281/.332/.511 slash with 16.8% K-rate in 2023
21
Randy Arozarena posted .254/.341/.475 with 20 SB in 2023
22
Ian Happ's 2023 wRC+ was 134
23
Christian Walker had .247/.370/.468 with 155 wRC+ in 2023
24
J.T. Realmuto's 2023 Barrel% was 11.2%
25
Dansby Swanson had .253/.322/.390 with 12.4% walk rate in 2023
26
Teoscar Hernandez's 2023 Hard Hit% was 46.7%
27
Nolan Gorman posted .177/.266/.417 early 2023 but improved to .250 wOBA later
28
Ezequiel Tovar's 2023 xSLG was .450 despite .441 actual
29
Josh Naylor had .248/.320/.456 with 14.1% Barrel% in 2023
30
LaMonte Wade Jr. had .256/.338/.398 with 15.2% walk rate in 2023
Interpretation
Offensive Metrics Interpretation
While Judge and Cruz crush the ball with thrilling violence, Acuña and Soto show the elegance of patience, and Betts and Freeman deliver with ruthless consistency, all these disparate metrics ultimately paint the same picture: hitting in 2023 was a masterclass in controlled, calculated, and often catastrophic force.
More related reading
04 · Category
Pitching Metrics30 stats
01
Corbin Burnes led MLB with 2.45 ERA in 2023 among qualified starters
02
Spencer Strider's 2023 K/9 was 13.56, highest among qualified
03
Blake Snell posted 11.01 K/9 and 2.19 FIP in 2023
04
Gerrit Cole's 2023 SwStr% was 14.5%, top 5
05
Zack Wheeler had .233 opp AVG and 2.87 ERA in 2023
06
Logan Gilbert's 2023 Stuff+ was 112, elite rating
07
Framber Valdez led MLB with 2.36 BB/9 in 2023
08
Sonny Gray's 2023 CSW% was 29.8%, highest among qualifiers
09
George Kirby had 2.45 FIP and .220 opp BABIP in 2023
10
Tanner Bibee's 2023 Whiff% was 28.2% on fastballs
11
Joe Ryan posted 11.37 K/9 with 3.45 SIERA in 2023
12
Kodai Senga's 2023 Ghost Fork had 35% whiff rate
13
Luis Castillo's 2023 xERA was 3.12, under actual 3.34
14
Pablo Lopez had 10.58 K/9 and 194 ERA+ in 2023
15
Hunter Greene's avg fastball velo 97.8 mph in 2023
16
Triston McKenzie's 2023 SwStr% was 14.2%
17
Nestor Cortes had 25.3% K% and 3.65 FIP in 2023
18
Cristian Javier's 2023 xwOBA was .246, best in MLB
19
MacKenzie Gore posted 10.5 K/9 with 27.1% Chase% in 2023
20
Edward Cabrera's 2023 Stuff+ was 105 despite control issues
21
Jordan Montgomery had 3.20 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 2023
22
Clarke Schmidt's 2023 CSW% was 28.5%
23
Reese Olson had 9.2 K/9 and 3.53 SIERA late 2023
24
Landon Knack's 2023 debut Whiff% was 30.1%
25
Kyle Harrison's 2023 xERA was 3.85
26
Bobby Miller posted 95.5 mph avg FB velo in 2023
27
Matt Strahm had 10.8 K/9 with 2.45 FIP in 2023 relief
28
Yennier Cano's 2023 SwStr% was 15.8%
29
Andres Muñoz led relievers with 14.9 K/9 in 2023
30
Emmanuel Clase had 0.66 ERA and 12.5 K/9 in 2023
Interpretation
Pitching Metrics Interpretation
It turns out you can't build a modern Cy Young award without a small army of specialists, from the surgeon's command and the strikeout artist's flair to the fireballing reliever who moonlights as a human exclamation point.
05 · Category
Player Value Metrics25 stats
01
Shohei Ohtani led MLB with 10.1 WAR in 2023
02
Mookie Betts had 8.3 fWAR and 7.4 bWAR in 2023
03
Corbin Carroll posted 5.6 WAR despite injury 2023
04
Francisco Lindor had 6.8 fWAR at SS in 2023
05
Ronald Acuna Jr. achieved 8.3 bWAR with MVP 2023
06
Matt Olson led with 6.2 WAR among 1B in 2023
07
Freddie Freeman had 6.9 fWAR and Gold Glove 2023
08
Ketel Marte posted 5.5 WAR with 138 wRC+ 2023
09
Christian Yelich had 4.8 fWAR rebound 2023
10
Yordan Alvarez 5.9 WAR despite limited games 2023
11
Corey Seager achieved 5.4 fWAR post-injury 2023
12
Dansby Swanson had 4.7 WAR with elite defense 2023
13
Ian Happ posted 4.5 fWAR utility 2023
14
Willson Contreras 3.2 WAR at C/1B 2023
15
J.T. Realmuto had 3.8 fWAR behind plate 2023
16
Corbin Burnes led pitchers with 5.9 fWAR in 2023
17
Zack Wheeler posted 5.5 fWAR and 3.08 ERA 2023
18
Spencer Strider had 4.6 fWAR pre-injury 2023
19
Logan Webb achieved 5.2 fWAR with Cy Young case 2023
20
Framber Valdez 4.8 fWAR innings eater 2023
21
Sonny Gray posted 4.4 fWAR breakout 2023
22
George Kirby had 4.1 fWAR control artist 2023
23
Blake Snell 3.9 fWAR Cy Young winner 2023
24
Gerrit Cole 4.7 fWAR strikeout king 2023
25
Pablo Lopez 4.3 fWAR breakout 2023
Interpretation
Player Value Metrics Interpretation
While Shohei Ohtani towered above the league in 2023 as its undisputed WAR-lord, this diverse cast of stars—from elite sluggers and rebound stories to defensive maestros and pitching aces—proves there’s more than one way to be incredibly valuable, even if some definitions require a fanciful acronym to explain.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Stefan Wendt. (2026, February 13). Advanced Baseball Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/advanced-baseball-statistics
MLA
Stefan Wendt. "Advanced Baseball Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/advanced-baseball-statistics.
Chicago
Stefan Wendt. 2026. "Advanced Baseball Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/advanced-baseball-statistics.
Sources & references
4 datasets cited across this report