Tag: gold glove award

Red Sox’ Alex Verdugo named Gold Glove finalist

Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo has been named a finalist for the 2023 American League Gold Glove Award in right field, Rawlings and Major League Baseball announced earlier Wednesday afternoon.

A first-time finalist, Verdugo was recognized alongside the likes of the Astros’ Kyle Tucker, last year’s winner in right field, and the Rangers’ Adolis Garcia. The 27-year-old will be looking to become the first Red Sox player to take home a Gold Glove Award since Mookie Betts did so in 2019 when winners are unveiled on November 5.

After mostly splitting time between the corners in his first three years with Boston, Verdugo was used exclusively in right field this season to accommodate the addition of left fielder Masataka Yoshida. Making 135 starts and logging 1,170 in right, Verdugo recorded 12 outfield assists and accrued nine defensive runs saved, tying him with the Mariners’ Teoscar Hernandez and the Guardians’ Ramon Laureano for the most among American League right fielders, respectively.

That Verdugo was as productive with the glove as he was is certainly impressive when you consider the challenges playing right field at Fenway Park present. According to Baseball Savant, the 6-foot, 209-pounder ranked in the 90th percentile in arm strength (92.8 mph) and the 70th percentile in range (one out above average).

Between Verdugo and the two right fielders he is competing with, the former led the pack in assists, double plays started (4), defensive runs saved, and ultimate zone rating (10.6), per FanGraphs. As noted by MLB.com’s Thomas Harrigan and David Adler, winners at the nine standard positions (such as right field) are determined by “the 30 MLB managers and up to six coaches from each team [voting] from a pool of players in their league, excluding players from their own team. These votes comprise 75 percent of the selection total, with the SABR Defensive Index counting for the other 25 percent.”

On the other side of the ball, Verdugo had a down year. Despite getting off to a promising start, the left-handed hitter struggled in the second half and wound up batting .264/.324/.421 with 37 doubles, five triples, 13 home runs, 54 RBIs, 81 runs scored, five stolen bases, 45 walks, and 93 strikeouts across 142 games spanning 602 plate appearances.

Though he endured his fair share of hardships, Verdugo still proved to be a bright spot in the field for a team that was undoubtedly one of the worst in baseball defensively.

When speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith) towards the end of the season last month, Verdugo reiterated his desire to win a Gold Glove Award.

“It would mean a lot. I really want a Gold Glove,” said Verdugo. “The way I take care of my business out there and try to limit baserunners from taking extra bases and try to make the right play, it would just mean a lot. Once you have that Gold Glove out there, everyone kind of gives you that recognition league-wide and I think that’s the best thing (about it).”

Verdugo, who does not turn 28 until May, is eligible to become a free agent for the first time in his career next winter. He is projected by MLB Trade Rumors to earn $9.2 million in 2024, which would represent a $2.9 million raise from his 2023 salary of $6.3 million.

(Picture of Alex Verdugo: Paul Rutherford/Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Xander Bogaerts named Gold Glove Award finalist

Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts has been named a finalist for a Gold Glove Award, Major League Baseball and Rawlings announced earlier Thursday afternoon.

Bogaerts was named an American League finalist for the second time in his career and for the first time since 2015. The 30-year-old infielder will be vying for his first Gold Glove Award while going up against Astros rookie Jeremy Pena and Twins star Carlos Correa.

Between the three of them this season, Bogaerts ranked first in games started (146), innings played (1,249 2/3), putouts (171), assists (401), double plays (74), Ultimate Zone Rating (4.9), and tied for first in fielding percentage (.983). He also ranked second in Defensive Runs Saved (4) and Outs Above Average (5), per FanGraphs.

As those numbers indicate, it was a standout year for Bogaerts defensively. The 6-foot-2, 218-pounder out of Aruba has been regularly critiqued for his fielding abilities since breaking in with the Red Sox as a 20-year-old in 2013. But he proved the doubters wrong this season by putting up career highs in Defensive Runs Saved, Ultimate Zone Rating, and Outs Above Average.

Bogaerts, who is expected to opt out of his contract and become a free agent this winter, will be looking to become the first Red Sox player to win a Gold Glove Award since Mookie Betts did so in 2019. Pena is also going for his first while Correa will be aiming to win it for the second year in a row.

Betts, meanwhile, was once again named a finalist in the National League for the defensive work he did in right field for the Dodgers this season. Circling back to the American League, two more former Red Sox outfielders were named finalists as well.

Jackie Bradley Jr., who closed out the year with the Blue Jays after being released by Boston in August, has the chance to win his second Gold Glove Award. Andrew Benintendi, who was traded from the Royals to the Yankees in July, has the chance to go back-to-back after taking home his first Gold Glove Award in Kansas City last season.

Gold Glove Awards have been handed out since 1957 to honor the best defenders at each position in each league. Voting is conducted by major-league managers and coaches (who are only allowed to vote within their league and cannot vote for players on their own teams) as well the sabermetrics community. The former accounts for 75 percent of the vote while the latter makes up the other 25 percent.

This year’s winners will be unveiled during an hour-long special edition of ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight” leading up to Game 4 of the 2022 World Series on Tuesday, November 1.

(Picture of Xander Bogaerts: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Hunter Renfroe comes up short, but former Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi wins first career Gold Glove Award with Royals

Red Sox right fielder Hunter Renfroe was unable to win his first career Gold Glove Award on Sunday night.

Renfroe was named one of three finalists for the award among all American League right fielders late last month alongside Houston’s Kyle Tucker, but the honors on Sunday instead fell to Yankees outfielder Joey Gallo.

The winners were announced by Rawlings and Major League Baseball on ESPN.

While Renfroe outpaced Gallo in terms of both defensive innings (1,166 to 764 2/3) and outfield assists (16 to 9) from right field this season, Gallo led the way in fielding percentage (.980 to .956), defensive runs saved (11 to 0), ultimate zone rating (2.8 to -1.6), and ultimate zone rating per 150 games (3.8 to -2.1), according to FanGraphs.

It also did not help that Renfroe led all major-league outfielders in errors with 12 while registering negative-one outs above average in right field this year, per FanGraphs.

Renfroe, who turns 30 in January, was Boston’s lone finalist for a Gold Glove Award, though Christian Vazquez and Enrique Hernandez are among those on the team who may have had a case to be made at their respective primary positions (catcher and center field) but wound up getting snubbed.

Despite the fact that Renfroe came up short on Sunday, it should be mentioned that former Red Sox left fielder won his first career Gold Glove Award as a member of the Royals.

Benintendi, who the Red Sox dealt to the Royals as part of a three-team, seven-player trade back in February, logged 1,116 defensive innings over 129 games in left field in his first season with Kansas City.

The 27-year-old was named a finalist for the Gold Glove Award for American League left fielders alongside the likes of Tampa Bay’s Randy Arozarena and Toronto’s Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

All three of Benintendi, Arozarena, and Gurriel Jr. finished the 2021 campaign having put up seven defensive runs saved in left field, but Benintendi ultimately led the pack in ultimate zone rating (4.9), ultimate zone rating per 150 games (5.5), and outs above average (1).

By winning his first Gold Glove Award, Benintendi joins former teammates Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. as now-former Red Sox outfielders to win at least one Gold Glove in their respective careers.

Betts has taken home five Gold Glove Awards in his time with the Red Sox and Dodgers, while Bradley Jr. and Benintendi have each won it once.

(Picture of Andrew Benintendi: Kyle Rivas/Getty Images)