SABR Defensive Index rankings released through August 9, 2026
AUGUST 14, 2026 — New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger and Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong lead their respective leagues in the updated SABR Defensive Index™ rankings through Major League Baseball games of Sunday, August 9, 2026.
The SABR Defensive Index is used to help select the winners of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award® and Rawlings Platinum Glove Award™, presented by SABR.
The SDI draws on and aggregates two types of existing defensive metrics: those derived from batted ball location-based data and those collected from play-by-play accounts. SDI utilizes MLBAM’s Statcast, Sports Info Solutions data, and STATS Perform data as well as traditional statistics with advanced analysis.
The SABR Defensive Index accounts for approximately 25 percent of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award selection process that will be added to the votes from the managers and coaches.
Bellinger’s SDI of 14.0 leads all fielders in the AL, followed by a trio of Boston Red Sox teammates, right fielder Wilyer Abreu (10.8), center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela (9.2), and third baseman Caleb Durbin (8.8). Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (8.5) rounds out the top five.
Crow-Armstrong’s SDI of 13.4 is the highest in the NL among all qualified defenders, ahead of Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages (12.0), San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman (11.9), Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll (10.9), and Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang (10.6).
The updated SDI results were released today by the Society for American Baseball Research.
The final SDI results will be released following the conclusion of the 2026 season at SABR.org. The SDI is compiled by the SABR Defensive Committee, which includes former SABR Board President Vince Gennaro; Sean Forman of Baseball-Reference.com; Joe Rosales of Sports Info Solutions; Tom Tango, MLB’s Senior Data Architect; author and defensive metrics expert Chris Dial; and author Michael Humphreys.
Here are the top 25 players in each League, through games of August 9, 2026:
American League leaders
| Cody Bellinger | NYY | LF | 14.0 |
| Wilyer Abreu | BOS | RF | 10.8 |
| Ceddanne Rafaela | BOS | CF | 9.2 |
| Caleb Durbin | BOS | 3B | 8.8 |
| Dillon Dingler | DET | C | 8.5 |
| Bobby Witt Jr. | KCR | SS | 8.4 |
| Cam Smith | HOU | RF | 6.7 |
| Taylor Walls | TBR | SS | 6.7 |
| Steven Kwan | CLE | LF | 6.1 |
| Austin Wells | NYY | C | 5.5 |
| José Caballero | NYY | SS | 5.3 |
| Brandon Valenzuela | TOR | C | 5.3 |
| Chandler Simpson | TBR | LF | 5.2 |
| Evan Carter | TEX | CF | 5.0 |
| Nathan Lukes | TOR | RF | 4.9 |
| Jarren Duran | BOS | LF | 4.6 |
| Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | TOR | 1B | 4.6 |
| Christian Walker | HOU | 1B | 4.5 |
| Tristan Peters | CHW | CF | 4.3 |
| Isaac Collins | KCR | LF | 3.9 |
| Cole Young | SEA | 2B | 3.8 |
| Vinnie Pasquantino | KCR | 1B | 3.7 |
| Jake Burger | TEX | 1B | 3.2 |
| Andrés Giménez | TOR | SS | 3.1 |
| Nick Loftin | KCR | 3B | 3.0 |
National League leaders
| Player | Team | Position | SDI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pete Crow-Armstrong | CHC | CF | 13.4 |
| Andy Pages | LAD | CF | 12.0 |
| Matt Chapman | SFG | 3B | 11.9 |
| Corbin Carroll | ARI | RF | 10.9 |
| Brice Turang | MIL | 2B | 10.6 |
| Nasim Nuñez | WSN | 2B | 9.8 |
| Luis Torrens | NYM | C | 8.8 |
| Dansby Swanson | CHC | SS | 8.3 |
| JJ Wetherholt | STL | 2B | 8.3 |
| TJ Rumfield | COL | 1B | 7.6 |
| Gabriel Moreno | ARI | C | 7.2 |
| Geraldo Perdomo | ARI | SS | 7.2 |
| Seiya Suzuki | CHC | RF | 6.8 |
| Mookie Betts | LAD | SS | 6.5 |
| Ty France | SDP | 1B | 6.3 |
| Michael Harris II | ATL | CF | 6.3 |
| Joe Mack | MIA | C | 6.3 |
| Henry Davis | PIT | C | 6.0 |
| Freddy Fermin | SDP | C | 5.6 |
| Brandon Lowe | PIT | 2B | 5.1 |
| Max Muncy | LAD | 3B | 4.8 |
| Ian Happ | CHC | LF | 4.6 |
| Alex Bregman | CHC | 3B | 4.5 |
| Otto Lopez | MIA | SS | 4.2 |
| Matt Olson | ATL | 1B | 4.2 |
About SABR
The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering research and disseminating the history and record of baseball. Founded in 1971, SABR has more than 7,700 members worldwide and has established itself as a vibrant baseball community and a premier distributor of ground-breaking baseball information. SABR features more than 80 regional chapters and more than 30 research committees, and produces three annual publications — two editions of The Baseball Research Journal and The National Pastime — in addition to other print and e-books. SABR also hosts two annual events: the National Convention each summer and the SABR Analytics Conference in March in Phoenix. For more information about SABR, visit SABR.org.
About the Rawlings Gold Glove Award®
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award® is a registered trademark owned by Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. The award is correctly identified as the Rawlings Gold Glove Award. The name should not be shortened, abbreviated, or otherwise misused. Proper identification of this service mark using the registration symbol and the Rawlings name is important to protect the integrity of the program and perpetuate this worthy tradition. For more information, please visit www.Rawlings.com.
About Rawlings
Established in 1887, Rawlings is an innovative leading global brand and manufacturer of premium baseball and softball equipment, including gloves, balls, and protective headwear. Rawlings’ unparalleled quality, innovative engineering and expert craftsmanship are the fundamental reasons why more professional athletes, national governing bodies and sports leagues choose Rawlings. Rawlings is the Official Baseball, Helmet, Face Guard and Glove of Major League Baseball, the Official Baseball of Minor League Baseball and the Official Baseball and Softball of the NCAA and the NAIA. The company is headquartered in St. Louis. For more information, please visit www.Rawlings.com.
Originally published: August 13, 2026. Last Updated: August 13, 2026.