CLEVELAND — A key reason Brooks Lee believes his defense is stabilizing, including a pair of game-saving plays late in Saturday’s victory, is a conscious decision to say screw it and keep attacking.
The Minnesota Twins shortstop doesn’t want to worry about riding the ups and downs of making good plays and bad ones. Instead, he’s decided to accept each result as an occupational hazard to keep a clear head and to stay out of his own way. Lee figures an even-keeled mindset will allow him to push himself harder mentally in the field, something he sees as the key to better glovework.
While Lee still rates poorly overall this season in defensive metrics, recently, he’s shown improvement.
“You have to keep on it with the mentality of being aggressive,” Lee said. “That’s huge. The confidence is going to (fluctuate). That’s not real. Just keep being aggressive, and whatever happens happens. You make a bunch of good plays in a row. Great. You make a couple of errors. It is what it is. I’d rather play to win than play scared.”
Lee believes his aggressive mentality — and three months of explosive training this offseason — helped him get the final out in Saturday’s 2-1, 11-inning win over Cleveland; a play he doesn’t think he was capable of making a year ago.
Recognizing that Twins reliever Luis Garcia planned to attack Cleveland hitter Brayan Rocchio with sinkers, Lee anticipated a grounder headed his way. Lee was prepared to move when Rocchio hit a 1-2 sinker just past Garcia’s glove, ticketed for center field. Stunningly, Lee ranged four steps to his left, slid, gloved the ball, and fired a one-hopper to first, which Kody Clemens corralled for the final out.
An inning earlier, Lee made another dazzling play when — while playing with the infield in — he dove to his left to steal a surefire game-winning hit from Daniel Schneemann with the bases loaded.
“Two great plays,” Twins manager Derek Shelton said. “The line drive back up through the middle, the anticipation. And the play at the end of the game. Not only is it a great play and Kody makes a great play on the other side of it, but at that time of the game with that kind of runner to be able to do it — he just continues to get better.”
While defensive metrics show Lee is slightly improved, he’s still a negative defender on the season.
Lee has produced minus-3 Outs Above Average, according to Baseball Savant, while Sports Info Solutions grades Lee with minus-4 Defensive Runs Saved.
Those figures represent a combination of miscues on makable plays — particularly during a three-game sweep in April at the hands of the Cincinnati Reds — and on other balls Lee couldn’t corral.
However, since April 21, Lee has been showing improvement, making the plays he’s expected to. In that span, Lee has been worth zero Outs Above Average while Sports Info Solutions values Lee at 1 Defensive Run Saved.
Sports Info Solutions tracks Defensive Miscues and Good Fielding Plays, which are akin to web gems. Since April 21, Lee’s 6 Good Fielding Plays are tops among all shortstops in baseball, per Mark Simon. During that span, he’s made no errors or misplays.
“I think he really has stabilized,” Shelton said. “There’s been some challenges thrown out to him. I think (infield coach) Ramon Borrego has done a really good job with his work.”
Clemens has been particularly close to Lee since joining the Twins in April 2025. The two enjoy trash-talking one another, something that began last season during clubhouse table tennis tournaments.
Clemens’ support for Lee is unwavering, and he pushed especially hard for his friend when Lee moved to shortstop after Carlos Correa was traded in July.
“He works so hard in all aspects of his game,” Clemens said. “He’s always hitting. He’s always working out. He’s always throwing. He’s always taking ground balls or doing other work. … He wants it more than anybody. He has high expectations for himself. He’s been doing it since Day One, trying to be what he wants to be. For him to come out and show what he’s been doing for us has been great.”
None of Lee’s recent efforts will mean much unless he sustains the level of defensive play he’s produced over the past three weeks.
Among shortstops, Lee is currently tied with Trea Turner and Xander Bogaerts as the second-worst in DRS. Only Seattle’s J.P. Crawford is worse at minus-5. Kansas City’s Bobby Witt leads all shortstops with plus-8 DRS.
The Twins entered the season simply hoping Lee could play neutral defensively, or a tick above, as long as he finally established the offensive game that prompted Minnesota to select him with the eighth pick of the 2022 amateur draft.
For nearly a month, Lee’s hit better than ever. Over his last 28 games, he is batting .308/.357/.500 with five homers and 22 RBIs. On the season, Lee is carrying a .751 OPS, which equates to a career-best 110 weighted Runs Created Plus.
With production like that, the Twins could potentially keep Lee at shortstop until a better defensive option comes along.
“We’re seeing it on both sides of the ball,” Shelton said. “He continues to become a complete player.”
Lee’s hot streak at the plate began with a game-winning, pinch-hit single late in an April 9 win over Detroit. Asked which felt better, winning a game with his bat or his glove, Lee chose the defensive side.
With all the work he’s put in, Lee is feeling better about his defense. He’s found a way to slow the game down and brush off the emotions that come with making web gems and mistakes, knowing he needs to remain focused for the next pitch.
Most importantly, he’s no longer playing scared.
“I was confident,” Lee said. “Just reminded myself you have time to think out there. I felt good in the moment. I’m just making sure I’m being aggressive. No matter what happens, you’ve got to live with it. Might as well be courageous.”