Gold Glove Finalists Announced; Red Sox Land Three Nominees

[Nick John]

The 2026 Gold Glove finalists were announced today, and the Boston Red Sox were represented well as they had three finalists between the 10 positions (utility player was added in 2022). The defensive recognition for the team should come as little surprise as the organization stated going into 2026 they were focused on run prevention after failing to bring in the power bats the lineup truly needed.

While the team struggled at times, three players on the team shined the entire year on the defensive end. They were constantly coming up with big plays or affecting the game with their gloves. Thanks to that, Caleb Durbin, Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela were all named Gold Glove finalists for their respective positions.

This is Durbin’s first time being named a finalist, the third baseman being acquired in the offseason from Milwaukee. Upon first arriving in Boston, it was undecided if he would be the starting second baseman or third baseman before being named to man the hot corner early in spring training. Defensively, he finished the season with 11 errors (six fielding and five throwing) and a .972 fielding percentage. More importantly were his +7 Outs Above Average and a Fielding Run Value of +6, both of which had him near the top of the league.

For Abreu, this is his third straight season of being a finalist as the elite outfielder looks to take home his third straight award. Despite making the most errors of his career with nine (four fielding and five throwing) and finishing tied with the worst fielding percentage of his career at .971, he was still one of the most valuable outfielders in the game. Defensively, he saved +28 runs for the Red Sox while patrolling right field this season and finished with an OAA of +2 and a FRV of +5. While lower than his previous season, they were still some of the best marks in the league for outfielders.

Finally, Rafaela was named a finalist for the second consecutive season as he wowed fans and his fellow players alike with his defense in center field. Despite starting off slow in the outfield to begin the season, Rafaela only committed two errors all season (one fielding and one throwing) while finishing with a .994 fielding percentage, the highest of his career for full seasons (he had a 1.000 fielding percentage in 20 games in 2023). While his OAA and FRV were lower than in 2025 (+16 for both compared to +22 for both in 2025), he was worth more Defensive Runs Saved in center field with +21 compared to +20 in 2025, while his arm was worth seven runs compared to five in 2025.

The Red Sox have a very good chance of bringing home all three awards thanks to the defensive level their players performed at across the season. There is an argument to be made that Rafaela could even make another run at being named the Platinum Glove award winner after being snubbed in 2025. The winners will be announced on Nov. 1.

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[JoeBrady]

I know that not everyone is gung-ho on fielding, but this year's team was so much easier on the eyes than previous teams.

[NHNative]

23 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

I know that not everyone is gung-ho on fielding, but this year's team was so much easier on the eyes than previous teams.

How about that Rafa sacrifice! Precious.