Instant Replay Challenges by Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks were above average in challenging plays (requesting video reviews). Two comparisons follow:

• Last season in the NL West, the Diamondback challenged the most plays. They had the second most successful challenges, one successful challenge behind the Padres.
• Last season in the Majors, the Diamondbacks ranked 9th in most challenges and they ranked in a tie with the Reds for 12th/13th most successful challenges.

The Diamondbacks had something in common with the Dodgers. Each team challenged the other team the most of any team they faced in 2022. The Diamondbacks fared better. They had 6 successful challenges (and a 67% success rate) compared to the Dodgers’ 4 successful challenges (and a 57% success rate).

When did the Diamondbacks challenge plays?

Let’s look at frequency and success rate of challenges by inning.

2022 Season. Data from Baseball Savant.

After the seventh inning, the success rate fell dramatically. Only one challenge was made in extra innings, so in the last row the 100% success rate may be due to small sample size.

Let’s look at frequency and success rate of challenges when the Diamondbacks were at-bat and when the Diamondbacks were in the field.

2022 Season. Data from Baseball Savant.

The Diamondbacks had a much better success rate when they were in the field. Maybe that contributed to the 56 defensive runs saved, which ranked the Diamondbacks as the sixth best defenders in the Majors per The Fielding Bible.

Let’s look at frequency and success rate when the Diamondbacks were ahead, when the score was tied, and when the Diamondbacks were behind.

2022 Season. Data from Baseball Savant.

The highest success rate was when the Diamondbacks trailed, and the lowest success rate was when they had the lead. It was wise to challenge more often when the team was behind, which the Diamondbacks did (18 challenges vs 14 challenges).

What type of plays did the Diamondbacks challenge?

The following table shows the frequency and success rate for each type of play.

2022 Season. Data from Baseball Savant.

Most Diamondbacks’ challenges were close calls at first base and tag plays. The Diamondbacks had a very high success rate when they challenged close calls at first base and when they challenged hit by pitch. And their success rate was above average for tag plays.

The Diamondbacks’ success rate was lower-than-average when they challenged catcher interference and force plays.

Would the Diamondbacks benefit by challenging more close plays at first base?

The Diamondbacks challenged less close calls at first base than the average in the Majors (22% vs 33% of challenges).

Four teams challenged best (had most overturned calls for all types of plays). Let’s look at how often they challenged close plays at first compared to the Diamondbacks.

2022 Season. Data from Baseball Savant.

The table shows the top four teams challenged a lot more close plays at first base. The Mets and Twins achieved significantly more overturned calls. How they did it would be worthy of investigation. Was it as simple as issue more challenges for that type of play?

In the first seven innings, when the Diamondbacks challenged close calls at first base the call was always overturned (8 out of 8 challenges).

Were the Diamondbacks too conservative in challenging this type of play? Perhaps.

Would the Diamondbacks benefit by less challenges in some situations?

By narrowing our focus to three types of plays (Fail or Foul, Catcher Interference, and Force Plays) and only challenges in the first seven innings (when failed challenges may hurt the team) we see only 2 overturned calls in 6 challenges. Although six challenges may be a small sample size, 33% success was too low. In the first seven innings, perhaps challenges should be saved for other types of plays.

Summary.

Last season, the Diamondbacks were above average in challenging plays.

Their success rate was high in the first seven innings. Their success rate was higher when they were in the field than when they were at bat. Their success rate was higher when they were behind in runs than when they were ahead in runs.

When they challenged close calls at first base, hit by pitch, and tag plays, their success rate was higher than the average in the Majors.

When they challenged close calls at first base in the first seven innings, their success rate was 100%. The four teams that challenged best challenged more close calls at first base. All four teams had more overturned calls on that type of play: two were marginal and two were significantly better. Perhaps the Diamondbacks would benefit from more challenges of close calls at first base, especially in the first seven innings.

In the first seven innings, three types of challenges (Fail or Foul, Catcher Interference, and Force Plays) had only two overturned calls in 6 challenges. In the first seven innings, perhaps challenges should be saved for other types of plays.

Players often answer their challenge by making a play, while managers sometimes answer their play by making a challenge. — Makakilo