There's no turning back as we move past the dog days of summer and look toward the pennant chases. Both trade deadlines have come and gone, so for the most part, rosters are set. At this point, teams must accept both the offensive and defensive holes in their lineups.
Almost every playoff contender has a clear defensive hole in particular, a regular player who has cost his team multiple runs over the course of the season. Many of those poor defenders have not made up for it at the plate either. We've all seen how one defensive misplay can alter a postseason series, and these teams hope they can get by without their defensive weaknesses being exposed.
American League
Toronto Blue Jays: None
When they swapped shortstops with the Rockies at the non-waiver trade deadline, the Blue Jays not only transformed their offense, they also eliminated their biggest defensive weakness. Since the start of 2011, Jose Reyes has been the worst shortstop in the major leagues, costing his team 57 runs per Defensive Runs Saved (DRS). The only other player in his neighborhood was Derek Jeter at minus-47 runs saved. Meanwhile, Troy Tulowitzki has been the seventh-best shortstop in the majors over the past five seasons with 24 DRS. With that one move, Toronto likely became the favorite to win the American League.
