What is this? A Statcast metric designed to express the demonstrated skill of catchers at preventing wild pitches (WP) or passed balls (PB).
How this works: Every pitch is assigned a probability of being a passed ball or wild pitch based upon several inputs, most notably: pitch location, pitch speed, pitch movement, catcher location, and batter/pitcher handedness. Based on that knowledge, each pitch a catcher receives (or fails to) is credited or debited with the appropriate amount of difficulty. For example, if a catcher blocks a pitch that is a PB + WP 10% of the time, he will receive +0.10. If he blocks a pitch that is a PB + WP 90% of the time, he will receive +0.90.
How to read it: Blocks Above Average is the difference between actual PB + WP and estimated PB + WP based on opportunities seen. Blocks Above Average / game is a rate stat based on an average catcher receiving 40 blocking chances per game. Catcher Blocking Runs converts blocks to runs saved on a .25 runs/block basis
| Opportunities | Blocks Above Average | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk. | Team | Block Opportunities | Catcher Blocking Runs Translation from blocks to a run value | Blocks Above Average The number of PB + WP saved compared to the expectation of an average catcher | Actual PB + WP Combined number of wild pitches and passed balls | Estimated PB + WP An estimate of the number of wild pitches and passed balls for a league average catcher. | Blocks Above Average / Game A rate stat based on an average catcher receiving 40 blocking chances per game. | Easy % Percentage of pitches with a block probability of > 95% | Medium % Percentage of pitches with a block probability between 85% and 95% | Tough % Percentage of pitches with a block probability less than 85% | Easy Block value of all pitches with a block probability greater than 95% | Medium Block value of all pitches with a block probability between 85% and 95% | Tough Block value of all pitches with a block probability less than 85% | ||
| 1 | Orioles |  | 6,258 | 5 | 22 | 51 | 73 | 0.14 | 93.8% | 4.7% | 1.5% | 8 | 10 | 4 | |
| 2 | Rockies | | 6,675 | 0 | 2 | 67 | 69 | 0.01 | 94.5% | 4.1% | 1.4% | 7 | -6 | 0 | |
| 3 | Yankees | | 6,216 | 4 | 17 | 46 | 63 | 0.11 | 94.6% | 4.2% | 1.3% | 8 | 7 | 3 | |
| 4 | Padres | | 6,271 | -1 | -6 | 64 | 58 | -0.04 | 95.0% | 3.8% | 1.2% | -6 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | White Sox | | 6,760 | -2 | -9 | 78 | 69 | -0.05 | 94.5% | 4.3% | 1.2% | -3 | -5 | -1 | |
| 6 | Rangers | | 6,791 | -3 | -11 | 76 | 65 | -0.07 | 94.8% | 4.0% | 1.1% | -4 | 0 | -7 | |
| 7 | Guardians | | 5,850 | 3 | 12 | 48 | 60 | 0.08 | 94.4% | 4.5% | 1.1% | 13 | -3 | 2 | |
| 8 | Royals | | 7,149 | -5 | -19 | 95 | 76 | -0.11 | 94.1% | 4.8% | 1.1% | -2 | -16 | -1 | |
| 9 | Tigers | | 6,270 | -2 | -7 | 66 | 59 | -0.05 | 95.1% | 3.8% | 1.1% | -7 | 8 | -8 | |
| 10 | Astros | | 5,847 | -1 | -5 | 65 | 60 | -0.04 | 94.5% | 4.4% | 1.1% | -3 | 3 | -5 | |
| 11 | Braves | | 6,225 | 0 | -1 | 61 | 60 | -0.01 | 94.5% | 4.4% | 1.0% | 1 | -3 | 1 | |
| 12 | Angels | | 6,463 | -2 | -9 | 69 | 60 | -0.06 | 95.3% | 3.6% | 1.0% | 3 | -13 | 1 | |
| 13 | Pirates | | 7,067 | 1 | 4 | 67 | 71 | 0.02 | 94.4% | 4.6% | 1.0% | 2 | 2 | 1 | |
| 14 | Blue Jays | | 6,097 | 6 | 25 | 30 | 55 | 0.16 | 95.3% | 3.7% | 1.0% | 11 | 10 | 3 | |
| 15 | Red Sox | | 6,577 | -2 | -6 | 64 | 58 | -0.04 | 95.7% | 3.3% | 1.0% | -1 | 0 | -5 | |
| 16 | Twins | | 6,168 | -2 | -6 | 62 | 56 | -0.04 | 95.0% | 4.0% | 1.0% | -5 | -1 | 0 | |
| 17 | Giants | | 6,508 | -1 | -5 | 59 | 54 | -0.03 | 95.8% | 3.2% | 1.0% | 2 | -3 | -4 | |
| 18 | Athletics | | 6,362 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 62 | 0.00 | 95.0% | 4.1% | 1.0% | 7 | -4 | -3 | |
| 19 | Phillies | | 6,430 | 3 | 11 | 51 | 62 | 0.07 | 94.9% | 4.1% | 0.9% | 6 | 10 | -5 | |
| 20 | Dodgers | | 5,461 | 3 | 10 | 40 | 50 | 0.07 | 95.1% | 4.0% | 0.9% | 10 | 0 | 0 | |
| 21 | D-backs | | 6,068 | -4 | -15 | 61 | 46 | -0.10 | 96.0% | 3.1% | 0.9% | -14 | -4 | 2 | |
| 22 | Rays | | 5,756 | -3 | -11 | 60 | 49 | -0.07 | 95.7% | 3.5% | 0.9% | 1 | -3 | -8 | |
| 23 | Marlins | | 6,493 | 2 | 7 | 55 | 62 | 0.04 | 94.6% | 4.5% | 0.9% | 2 | 7 | -2 | |
| 24 | Brewers | | 6,625 | -1 | -2 | 55 | 53 | -0.01 | 96.1% | 3.0% | 0.9% | 6 | -5 | -4 | |
| 25 | Cardinals | | 6,151 | 1 | 5 | 47 | 52 | 0.03 | 95.3% | 3.9% | 0.8% | 0 | 8 | -3 | |
| 26 | Nationals | | 6,820 | -1 | -4 | 64 | 60 | -0.02 | 95.3% | 3.9% | 0.8% | 1 | -3 | -3 | |
| 27 | Cubs | | 6,536 | -1 | -6 | 62 | 56 | -0.04 | 95.2% | 3.9% | 0.8% | -5 | -1 | 0 | |
| 28 | Reds | | 7,041 | -2 | -10 | 64 | 54 | -0.05 | 96.4% | 2.9% | 0.8% | -3 | -2 | -4 | |
| 29 | Mariners | | 5,772 | -2 | -7 | 48 | 41 | -0.05 | 96.3% | 2.9% | 0.8% | 1 | -3 | -5 | |
| 30 | Mets | | 6,024 | 3 | 13 | 39 | 52 | 0.09 | 95.5% | 3.9% | 0.6% | 7 | 6 | 0 | |
