MLB: Best Double Play Combos in Baseball
By Joe Piazza
2B Joe Panik & SS Brandon Crawford, San Francisco Giants
Much like the Tigers’ duo, the defensive greatness of Brandon Crawford and Joe Panik cannot be ignored. Crawford is more well-known for his glove than Panik, but both are excellent defenders. If I were basing this ranking just on defensive ability, this combo would be ranked in first place. Panik made an early impression in the majors after saving a run in Game 7 of the 2014 World Series, and hasn’t looked back since.
Crawford, on the other hand, is famous for his cannon of an arm:
It took Crawford a few years to get things going, but he’s averaged a 110 wRC+ in the past two seasons. Crawford blasted 21 homers back in 2015, and hit a career high .275 last year. Panik is more of a spray/contact hitter, but he’s done his job well. In parts of three seasons, Panik has a career .277 batting average with 7.9 fWAR. He’s primarily hit at the top of the lineup, which is perfect for a guy like Panik. Since coming into the league, his 10.1 K/9% is the 6th lowest in baseball. He’s been an ideal No. 2 hitter in the lineup for the Giants, and holds down the keystone position like a pro.
Last year, Panik and Crawford combined for 7.9 fWAR. It’s hard not to put this group higher up on the list, but they just haven’t done enough offensively to be considered the best all-around double play combo. Defense counts for a lot, but it’s not everything.