Defense (actually fielding) less important because of shift, fewer balls in play, new rules against collisions.

A few days ago there was a discussion on MLB Network announcing the 2021 team fielding winners:

NL: St. Louis Cardinals
AL: Houston Astros (I guess they were banging trash cans.).

https://sabr.org/sdi

2021 SABR Defensive Index rankings

• Check out the winners of the 2021 Rawlings Gold Glove Awards
• Click here to view the full SDI positional rankings for the 2021 season
• Carlos Correa, Nolan Arenado win the 2021 Rawlings Platinum Glove Awards, presented by SABR

The SABR Defensive Index draws on and aggregates two types of existing defensive metrics: those derived from batted ball location-based data and those collected from play-by-play accounts.

Blah, blah, blah.

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PSzalapski made this image released it into the public domain. Baseball positioning, the shift
Date: 24 September 2004

But as mentioned in the title, fielding prowess is mitigated by three factors:

- shift, especially against lefty batters who are too dumb to put the ball into the ocean of empty space, maybe by ... bunting;

- fewer balls in play because of the dramatic increase in strike outs (SO) and home runs (HR).

- new rules against collisions with the catcher and especially at second base.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIiYw53nGd0

1977 ALCS Gm2: McRae takes out Randolph at second:

10/6/77: Hal McRae's takeout slide of Willie Randolph at second breaks up a double play and allows Freddie Patek to score for the Royals

Thursday, October 6, 1977

Start Time: 8:19 p.m. Local

Attendance: 56,230

Venue: Yankee Stadium II

Game Duration: 2:58

Night Game, on grass

Yankees 6, Royals 2

1977 ALCS
New York Yankees over Kansas City Royals (3-2)

Dates: October 5 - 9, 1977

WS MVP: Reggie Jackson

NLCS MVP: Dusty Baker