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.

[mvp 78]

 

[moonslav59]

CF and RF are more important in Fenway than maybe any other park in MLB.

Both have been pretty good on offense, too.

5.9 bWAR Abreu

5.7 bWAR Rafaela

Fangraphs OF Rankings:

9. Rafaela 4.0 fWAR

13. Abreu 3.3 fWAR

 

[moonslav59]

What rank was given to Durbin?

[Larry Cook]

Not too long ago, the Red Sox infield was a major defensive dumpster fire and we led the American League in errors every year!!

Time to give bres-slow some props. It looks like we are improving these past two years 

 

 

[moonslav59]

6 hours ago, Larry Cook said:

Not too long ago, the Red Sox infield was a major defensive dumpster fire and we led the American League in errors every year!!

Time to give bres-slow some props. It looks like we are improving these past two years 

Brez left some holes, but with the restricted budget he's had, I'm not sure he could have done much better filling as many holes as possible.

Sure, take back the Sale trade.

Sure, maybe subtract a pitcher and add a batter.

While he's traded away much of the gains he brought on the pitching side of the ledger, no doubt he improved the pitching and defense in his short 3 years in control.

While the offense let us down, it wasn't out of a lack of effort from Brez. IMO, we have a decent everyday core of mostly young and cost-controlled players. We need 1-2 major adds on offense. We could probably use another pitcher, but that is one area I kinda trust Brez with.

[JoeBrady]

12 hours ago, Larry Cook said:

Not too long ago, the Red Sox infield was a major defensive dumpster fire and we led the American League in errors every year!!

Time to give bres-slow some props. It looks like we are improving these past two years 

 

 

It feels good to not have every GB be an adventure.

[moonslav59]

14 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

It feels good to not have every GB be an adventure.

Agreed, and when you couple that with maybe the best defensive OF in MLB and maybe even Red Sox history and the addition of AR as out catcher, this may be one of our best defensive teams in a decade or two.

Mead at 2B would lower the team status. Contreras at 1B might be near average. Our LF'er is sort of unknown, now, but if it's Duran, he's no negative out there. (Anthony is maybe near average.)

GG types: Rafaela, Abreu & Durbin

Very good: Rutschman & Duran (White)

Average or good: Contreras & Anthony (Story at 2B?) Sogard & Seigler

Below average: Mead & Story (at SS) Gasper (C) Monasterio (SS) Jones (OF) Yoshida (OF)

 

 

[Old Red]

5 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Agreed, and when you couple that with maybe the best defensive OF in MLB and maybe even Red Sox history and the addition of AR as out catcher, this may be one of our best defensive teams in a decade or two.

Mead at 2B would lower the team status. Contreras at 1B might be near average. Our LF'er is sort of unknown, now, but if it's Duran, he's no negative out there. (Anthony is maybe near average.)

GG types: Rafaela, Abreu & Durbin

Very good: Rutschman & Duran (White)

Average or good: Contreras & Anthony (Story at 2B?) Sogard & Seigler

Below average: Mead & Story (at SS) Gasper (C) Monasterio (SS) Jones (OF) Yoshida (OF)

 

 

Best defensive Red Sox outfield in history? Of course you always take the current one like you did with Kike saying he had the best year in CF ever in 2021. Speaker, Lewis, and Hooper are considered the Best defensive Red Sox outfield of all time. The current crop doesn’t have anything on the 2018 crew either with JB, Mookie, and Benni. Lynne, and Evan’s were hard to beat in CF, and RF, and Rice made up his defensive shortcomings with his bat.

Edited 15 hours ago by Old Red

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Old Red said:

Best defensive Red Sox outfield in history? Of course you always take the current one like you did with Kike saying he had the best year in CF ever in 2021. Speaker, Lewis, and Hooper are considered the Best defensive Red Sox outfield of all time. The current crop doesn’t have anything on the 2018 crew either with JB, Mookie, and Benni. Lynne, and Evan’s were hard to beat in CF, and RF, and Rice made up his defensive shortcomings with his bat.

I said "maybe" the best.

The Beni, JB and Betts trio was as good or better.

Lynn & Evans weren't enough to outweigh Rice. Yes, Rice's bat made up for poor D, but I was focusing on just defense. Evans won the GG in '76, '78 and ;79 but was a GG for over a decade, IMO.

The 2025 D was better as Duran was much better than in 2026. Lynn won in 1975 then '78-'80, so they did it for longer, but Rafaela and Abreu are going on 4 years, now. It's close IMO.

I should have said MAYBE "one of the best."

 

[Old Red]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

I said "maybe" the best.

The Beni, JB and Betts trio was as good or better.

Lynn & Evans weren't enough to outweigh Rice. Yes, Rice's bat made up for poor D, but I was focusing on just defense. Evans won the GG in '76, '78 and ;79 but was a GG for over a decade, IMO.

The 2025 D was better as Duran was much better than in 2026. Lynn won in 1975 then '78-'80, so they did it for longer, but Rafaela and Abreu are going on 4 years, now. It's close IMO.

I should have said MAYBE "one of the best."

 

Yaz, Reggie Smith, and Tony C was a pretty good outfield too.

[moonslav59]

49 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Yay, Reggie Smith, and Tony C was a pretty good outfield too.

Both underrated on D, but there can only be one GOAT.