Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images. Pictured: Nelson Cruz.
DRC+ Definition
Created by Baseball Prospectus, DRC+ (deserved runs created plus), much like wRC+, is a statistic that attempts to give an all-encompassing view of a hitter’s performance. DRC+ differs from other public hitting metrics in that it focuses on each hitter’s expected contribution, rather than averaging the result of hitter PAs.
DRC+ rejects the assumption that play outcomes automatically equal player contributions, and forces players to demonstrate a consistent ability to generate those outcomes over time to get full credit for them.
DRC+ in Today’s MLB
DRC+ uses 100 as a baseline. A hitter with a DRC+ of 100 is a league-average hitter. Above that is better, below that is worse.
In 2020, the Atlanta Braves’ Freddie Freeman led MLB with a DRC+ of 172. That means Freeman was 72% better than league average. The Los Angeles Angels’ Justin Upton had a DRC+ of 100, which means he was a league-average hitter. The Pittsburgh Pirates’ John Ryan Murphy had a DRC+ of 42, meaning he was 58% worse than league average.
DRC+ in Sports Betting
DRC+ is a predictive statistic, so the best way to use it would be to help find value. A team may be performing poorly, but a positive DRC+ suggests it has merely been unlucky. That could give you an edge when finding an underdog ready to break out.