4 Guardians named Gold Glove finalists
October 15th, 2024
The 2024 Rawlings Gold Glove Award finalists were announced on Tuesday morning, with winners set to be unveiled on ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight” on Nov. 3 at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Both leagues have three finalists at each position, including the utility spot, which was awarded for the first time in 2022.
To determine the winners at the nine standard positions, the 30 MLB managers and up to six coaches from each team vote from a pool of players in their league, excluding players from their own team. These votes comprise 75% of the selection total, with the SABR Defensive Index counting for the other 25%.
For the utility position, Rawlings collaborated with SABR to create a specialized defensive formula separate from the traditional selection process.
Here are the 2024 Gold Glove Award finalists:
AMERICAN LEAGUE
PITCHERGriffin Canning, AngelsSeth Lugo, RoyalsCole Ragans, Royals
Lugo and Ragans combined to give the Royals one of the best rotations in the game in 2024, but they also fielded their position well. Canning did, too, while making a career-high 32 appearances (31 starts) for the Angels. The Halos right-hander is the only one of these three hurlers who has won a Gold Glove Award before, having done so in 2020.
CATCHERFreddy Fermin, RoyalsCal Raleigh, MarinersJake Rogers, Tigers
For the fourth straight year, the AL will have a first-time Gold Glove Award winner behind the plate. On the strength of his excellent pitch-framing skills, Raleigh led AL catchers in fielding run value (+14) and tied Fermin for the league lead among backstops with 16 Defensive Runs Saved. Fermin excelled as a blocker and was especially valuable in controlling the running game, placing third with eight CS above average and posting the best caught-stealing rate (45%) among catchers who faced at least 30 steal attempts. Rogers, who also fared well in the blocking department and had strong pitch-framing metrics, finished with a fielding run value of +12 and 13 DRS.
FIRST BASENathaniel Lowe, RangersRyan Mountcastle, OriolesCarlos Santana, Twins
Vying for his first Gold Glove Award at the age of 38, Santana led all first basemen with +14 Outs Above Average and tied Mountcastle for the AL lead at the position with 8 Defensive Runs Saved. Lowe, the reigning AL Gold Glove winner at first base, placed second in the AL behind Santana with +6 OAA.
SECOND BASEAndrés Giménez, GuardiansNicky Lopez, White SoxMarcus Semien, Rangers
Giménez won the AL Gold Glove Award at second base in each of the past two seasons (as well as a Platinum Glove in 2023) and has a strong case to make it three in a row. He tied for the MLB lead with +20 Outs Above Average and led AL second basemen with 20 Defensive Runs Saved. Semien, though, wasn’t far behind Giménez in OAA (+19), and the two actually had identical +14 figures in Statcast’s fielding run value metric. Lopez saw time at both middle-infield spots for the White Sox in 2024 and produced +5 OAA, including +4 as a second baseman.
THIRD BASEAlex Bregman, AstrosErnie Clement, Blue JaysJosé Ramírez, Guardians
Matt Chapman won the AL Gold Glove Award at third base in four of the past six seasons, but his move to the NL last offseason opened the door for someone else to get their due in 2024. Bregman and Ramírez are two of baseball’s biggest names at the hot corner, but neither has won a Gold Glove Award. The two tied in Defensive Runs Saved (+6) this past season, while Bregman (+6) edged out Ramírez (+3) in Outs Above Average. Clement, meanwhile, recorded 10 DRS as a third baseman despite playing only 661 innings at the position. He finished with 2.2 Defensive WAR (per Baseball-Reference) overall, tying for sixth best in MLB.
SHORTSTOPBrayan Rocchio, GuardiansAnthony Volpe, YankeesBobby Witt Jr., Royals
Witt struggled on defense during his 2022 rookie season, but his glove work has come a long way over the past two years. The Royals superstar led AL shortstops with +16 Outs Above average in 2024. Volpe, who won the AL Gold Glove Award as a rookie last year, ranked second among AL shortstops behind Witt with +13 OAA in 2024. Rocchio finished his 2024 rookie campaign with +7 OAA and placed fourth at the position with 10 Defensive Runs Saved.
LEFT FIELDColton Cowser, OriolesSteven Kwan, GuardiansAlex Verdugo, Yankees
Kwan, who missed time due to injuries but still posted 9 Defensive Runs Saved, +4 Outs Above Average and nine outfield assists in 2024, is looking to snag his third Gold Glove Award in three big league seasons. Cowser is an AL Rookie of the Year contender in part because of what he did on defense for the Orioles, ranking second among left fielders with +8 OAA. The veteran Verdugo notched 6 DRS and seven outfield assists for the Yankees.
CENTER FIELDJarren Duran, Red SoxJake Meyers, AstrosDaulton Varsho, Blue Jays
Although he doesn’t have a Gold Glove Award yet, Varsho has clearly established himself as one of the best defensive outfielders in the game. The 28-year-old posted MLB’s second-best fielding run value (+17) while leading all players in Defensive Runs Saved (29). Duran wasn’t far behind Varsho, ranking second in the Majors with 23 DRS, leading MLB in outfield assists (12) and recording a fielding run value of +12 during a breakout season for the Red Sox. Meyers also had an impressive showing in 2024, placing second among AL center fielders with +14 Outs Above Average.
RIGHT FIELDWilyer Abreu, Red SoxJo Adell, AngelsJuan Soto, Yankees
Abreu made his presence felt on the outfield grass for the Red Sox in his rookie season, leading right fielders with 18 Defensive Runs Saved and notching nine outfield assists. Adell (6 DRS) and Soto (10 outfield assists) also made positive contributions for their teams on the defensive side of the ball.
UTILITYWilli Castro, TwinsMauricio Dubón, AstrosDylan Moore, Mariners
After winning the Gold Glove at this spot a year ago, Dubón had another standout year on defense for the Astros. Appearing at every position besides pitcher and catcher, Dubón recorded +10 Outs Above Average and 6 Defensive Runs Saved in 2024. Castro not only earned his first All-Star selection in 2024 but also made history for the Twins, becoming the first player to log at least 25 defensive appearances at five different positions (2B, 3B, SS, LF, CF), according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Moore also shifted around the diamond for the Mariners, playing more than 20 games at four spots (2B, 3B, SS, LF).
NATIONAL LEAGUE
PITCHERChris Sale, BravesLuis Severino, MetsZack Wheeler, Phillies
Sale and Wheeler, the likely top two finishers in NL Cy Young Award voting, are both finalists for Gold Gloves in 2024. The defending NL Gold Glove winner on the mound, Wheeler had another strong season (3 Defensive Runs Saved) as a fielder. But Severino was even better, grading out at 5 DRS — tied for third among all pitchers. Sale, a Gold Glove finalist for the first time since 2017, was tied for sixth with 4 DRS.
CATCHERPatrick Bailey, GiantsGabriel Moreno, D-backsWill Smith, Dodgers
All three finalists hail from the NL West, with Bailey and Smith vying for their first Gold Gloves. Moreno, who won the award last season, could be the first back-to-back winner among NL catchers since Yadier Molina won eight straight from 2008-15. An elite framer behind the plate, Bailey led all players with a +22 fielding run value. He was second with nine runners caught stealing above average, with only Smith (10) ahead. Moreno (10 Defensive Runs Saved) finished second behind Bailey (20) among catchers.
FIRST BASEBryce Harper, PhilliesMatt Olson, BravesChristian Walker, D-backs
The winner of the 2022 and 2023 NL Gold Gloves at first base, Walker led all NL first basemen with +13 Outs Above Average in 2024. Harper, in his first full season as a full-time first baseman, was second with +8 OAA. Olson, a two-time AL Gold Glover at first with the A’s in 2018-19, led his position in 2024 with 14 Defensive Runs Saved — six more than any other first baseman in MLB.
SECOND BASEKetel Marte, D-backsBryson Stott, PhilliesBrice Turang, Brewers
In his second Major League season, Turang racked up 21 Defensive Runs Saved — the most by any second baseman. Marte, meanwhile, had his best defensive season under Statcast tracking (+8 OAA). Stott finished fourth among NL second basemen with 7 DRS, behind Turang, Marte (10) and Otto Lopez (9).
THIRD BASENolan Arenado, CardinalsMatt Chapman, GiantsRyan McMahon, Rockies
Chapman and Arenado have been elite defenders at the hot corner for a long time, and that didn’t change in 2024. Playing his first year with the Giants, Chapman led the Majors in Defensive Runs Saved at third base, and it wasn’t close. His 17 DRS were considerably ahead of McMahon, who was second at the position with 10. Chapman also tied for the MLB lead with +11 OAA at third base, with Arenado third at +9 and McMahon tied for fourth at +7. Arenado is a finalist again after Pittsburgh’s Ke’Bryan Hayes snapped his string of 10 straight Gold Gloves at third last season.
SHORTSTOPDansby Swanson, CubsEzequiel Tovar, RockiesMasyn Winn, Cardinals
Swanson, the winner of the past two NL Gold Gloves at shortstop, led all shortstops in 2024 with +18 OAA and was first in fielding run value (+14) at the position, too. The rookie Winn was tops among shortstops with 14 Defensive Runs Saved, five more than Tovar and Arizona’s Geraldo Perdomo.
LEFT FIELDLourdes Gurriel Jr., D-backsIan Happ, CubsBrandon Marsh, Phillies
Happ, who has won an NL Gold Glove in left field each of the past two seasons, could make it three this season. The Cubs outfielder led all left fielders with eight Defensive Runs Saved and had 11 outfield assists, tied for the most in the NL. Marsh was just behind Happ with 7 DRS, while Gurriel’s +3 Outs Above Average led NL left fielders.
CENTER FIELDBrenton Doyle, RockiesBlake Perkins, BrewersJacob Young, Nationals
Doyle made major strides with the bat in 2024 while remaining an elite defender in center field. The 2023 NL Gold Glover at the position had +16 OAA this season, tied for second in MLB — behind only Young, who finished with +20. Young and Doyle tied for third among all center fielders with 11 DRS apiece, while Perkins (+11 OAA, 8 DRS) had a strong year in center as well.
RIGHT FIELDSal Frelick, BrewersJake McCarthy, D-backsMike Yastrzemski, Giants
The D-backs and Brewers were the top two teams in the NL in team Outs Above Average, so maybe it’s little surprise they have more players represented here. Frelick’s 16 Defensive Runs saved led right fielders by a good margin, and his +7 OAA in right were tied with teammate Jackson Chourio and Boston’s Wilyer Abreu for the most at the position. Yastrzemski, who played the second-most innings in right field across MLB, finished with 5 DRS, while McCarthy had +6 OAA in 2024.
UTILITYBrendan Donovan, CardinalsKiké Hernández, DodgersJared Triolo, Pirates
Donovan was the first NL player to win the utility Gold Glove, doing so in 2022. He could win it again after a season in which he made 53 appearances at second base, nine at third base and 105 in left field, finishing at +6 OAA. Hernández showed off his versatility in 2024, playing nine or more games at every position but right field, catcher and pitcher (and he even made four appearances on the mound). Triolo, who mostly split time between second and third base, had 6 Defensive Runs Saved in 2024.