Carlos Correa has actually incredibly grounded into 6 double plays this season, which, while inadequate to lead the league, definitely raises eyebrows. That suspicious honor comes from Junior Caminero, who has actually currently acquired 9 double plays, putting him on track to reach an impressive 50 by the season’s end. If Caminero continues at this speed (which is not likely), he would wipe out the single-season record of 36, developed by Jim Rice in 1984. Yet, it’s Correa’s GIDP data that record my attention the most, as they expose appealing patterns and possible shifts in his video game.

Correa has actually regularly been prone to grounding into double plays throughout his profession. Since his launching ten years back, just 5 gamers in the big leagues have actually grounded into more double plays than he has. However, in 2023, Correa’s efficiency reached a stunning brand-new level; he broke the single-season record for the Twins by grounding into 30 double plays in simply 130 video games and 580 plate looks. His 30 GIDPs not just marked the greatest overall by any gamer because Casey McGehee in 2014 however likewise represented the most when changed for plate looks because A.J. Pierzynski in 2004. Correa’s GIDP rate, changed for period, sticks out as the 3rd greatest in history, making it a notable element of his profession.

In plain contrast to his depressing GIDP efficiency in 2023, Correa displayed an amazing turn-around in 2024, producing among the most remarkable healings in the sport. He grounded into just 5 groundball double plays that season, representing a shocking drop of 25 from the previous year. While he did play considerably less video games, the rate at which he grounded into double plays was unprecedentedly low, showing a considerable shift in his striking technique. It’s worth keeping in mind that the term “groundball double play” is frequently the topic of imaginative writing, and it’s necessary for authors to adjust language to preserve engagement and clearness.

Utilizing the Season Stat Grid tool, I had the ability to recognize the last gamer who had a comparable significant reduction in GIDP overalls: Billy Hitchcock of the Philadelphia Athletics, who went from 30 double plays in 1950 to simply 2 in 1951. I guaranteed the requirements consisted of gamers with a minimum of one plate look each season, which suggested the sample size consisted of those who may have had many chances one year and none the next. Even comparing the complete 162-game season of 2019 to the lowered 60-game season of 2020, the most substantial drop in GIDP overalls came from Starlin Castro, who tape-recorded 23 double plays as a starter in 2019 and none in 16 video games in 2020. Between 1951 and 2023, 143 gamers had seasons with a minimum of 25 GIDPs, however none matched Correa’s significant reduction in the following season. Additionally, Correa enhanced his wGDP (Weighted Grounded into Double Play Runs) by 6.1 runs from 2023 to 2024, marking the most substantial enhancement in the metric’s short history.

The historic context surrounding Correa’s GIDP efficiency includes layers of intrigue to his story. The factor 2023 is thought about among the worst GIDP seasons ever is that the double play rate throughout the league was significantly low that year. To contribute to the paradox, the general rate of GIDPs per video game dropped considerably in 2024, marking among the biggest year-to-year decreases on record. Consequently, big league players grounded into double plays at the most affordable rate ever tape-recorded in the exact same season that Correa handled to minimize his GIDPs by 25. While this connection is appealing, it is important to clarify that Correa’s enhancement alone does not represent the league-wide patterns, making it an engaging yet coincidental observation.

Taking a minute to show as a baseball fan, I discover double plays exciting when my group is on the protective and rather aggravating when they are at bat. Setting aside individual predispositions, I truly value the appeal of a well-executed double play, regardless of its regular nature. I strongly remember the very first double play I experienced live after a long lack from the ballpark due to the pandemic; it was an ordinary play yet showcased impressive athleticism. Ben Clemens articulated my beliefs completely in a current column, highlighting the enjoyment of a well-turned double play, especially when it includes acrobatic fielding and close calls at the bases.

“A well-turned double play, particularly if the degree of difficulty is high, is one of the most exciting plays in baseball. It features so many people operating in unison, there are usually close plays for at least one of the outs, and acrobatic pivots at second are just visually pleasing, period.”

Unfortunately, the timeless double play is ending up being significantly unusual in the modern-day video game, a reality that frequently goes neglected. While conversations about disengagement guidelines, shift restrictions, and the launch angle transformation are plentiful, the decrease of GIDPs, elaborately connected to these modifications, gets less attention. The conditions needed for a groundball double play are ending up being less regular as the video game develops.

An effective groundball double play demands particular situations: a batter should approach the plate with a runner on very first base and less than 2 outs. The batter then needs to strike the ball on the ground, directing it right into the glove of an infielder. With a boost in strikeouts and a decline in balls take into play, plus an increase in fly balls and taken bases, the chances for double plays are lessening. Moreover, the intro of bigger bases and lowered protective shifts even more add to this pattern. While these shifts were currently obvious in 2024, they have actually just magnified.

The league-wide strikeout rate in 2024 reached its 5th greatest level in history. Meanwhile, the general on-base portion (OBP) was at its second-lowest in the previous half-century, and the portion of plate looks that led to a single, walk, or hit-by-pitch was the most affordable in 75 years. Additionally, taken base efforts per video game were the greatest because 1999. This mix of aspects led to the most affordable rate of GIDP chances per video game because 2012, and prior to that, because 1998. Furthermore, the groundball rate was the most affordable tape-recorded because a minimum of 2002, while the portion of plate looks that ended with a ball in play struck a historical low. Consequently, the GIDPs-per-GIDP-opportunity rate was up to its most affordable because GIDPs were very first tracked in both the National League and American League in 1939. This shows not just a shortage of chances however likewise a substantial decrease in the probability of striking a groundball double play when chances develop. The result? The league-wide rate of GIDPs per video game dropped to an unmatched low, dipping listed below the previous record embeded in 1968:

Initially, my objective in composing this short article was just to check out the interesting world of double plays since of my gratitude for their intricacy and enjoyment. However, as I dove much deeper, I understood that the decrease of groundball double plays encapsulates a wider narrative about the modern-day video game of baseball. This apparently small fact clarifies numerous continuous patterns within big league baseball today. As of 2025, the GIDP-per-game rate continues to decrease, dropping from 0.66 to 0.63. While this reduction might not be as striking as the drop from 2023 to 2024, if it continues, it might represent the biggest decrease over any two-year duration because the early 1950s. Notably, this year, we can’t just associate the pattern to Correa.

In 2023, Correa’s GIDP efficiency was amongst the worst the league has actually ever seen, yet he made a shocking year-to-year enhancement that couple of have actually experienced. This offseason, I contemplated how he would follow up such an efficiency. Surprisingly, it took him just 23 video games and 84 plate looks in 2025 to exceed his previous season’s overall for groundouts resulting in double plays. Fans of the Twins wishing for a turn-around might be dissatisfied, as Correa’s present data provide brand-new significance to the term “twin killing.” He presently ranks last on the group with a -1.04 WPA, and his groundball double plays represent over half of that figure.

Having currently grounded into 6 double plays by the end of April, Correa seems on track to surpass his 2023 overall. This is especially notable offered the substantial drop in the league typical rate over the previous 2 years. As I kept in mind earlier relating to Caminero, it is smart to prevent overreacting to early-season patterns. However, unlike Caminero, Correa has actually shown the capability to preserve a high rate of double plays over a whole season in the past. If he continues this trajectory in 2025, he might possibly accomplish the worst era-adjusted GIDP season on record. Such a suspicious difference might not be the tradition he intends to leave, however a minimum of he is contributing in keeping among baseball’s most amazing plays alive.