Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts has been named a Gold Glove finalist at shortstop. Masyn Winn of the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves’ Nick Allen join him as the other finalists.
Additionally, Miguel Rojas has been named as a finalist for the National League Utility Gold Glove award, joining Javier Sanoja of the Miami Marlins and Jared Triolo of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
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Betts is not only playing an elite shortstop this season, but is doing so after making the unprecedented switch from right field, where he has six Gold Glove honors. Only three players in MLB history have won Gold Gloves at multiple positions, and only one has done it in both the infield and outfield (Darin Erstad has two for his work in the outfield and one as a first baseman).
Placido Polanco has Gold Gloves at second and third base, and DJ LeMahieu has three at second base and one as a utility player.
Betts leads all active MLB shortstops in Defensive Runs Saved (17), and ranks in the 90th percentile in baseball in terms of Outs Above Average.
As for Rojas, he has demonstrated the ability to be an effective player anywhere asked of him in the infield this season.
He ranks in the 91st percentile among qualified fielders in terms of Outs Above Average, and 11th in Defensive Runs Saved (minimum 200 innings) among second basemen. He also has a 98.9 percent fielding percentage while manning second, 98 percent at third base, and 98.1 percent during his time at shortstop, logging over 100 innings at each position.
The two defensive staples for the defending champions present so much value to the team on the diamond, and to do so at such an elite level is invaluable as October continues on.
As for Betts, this is the perfection culmination for his tireless work to became a major league shortstop.
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Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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2 Responses
Way to go Mookie and Miggy Ro. The cream ALWAYS rises to the top and even though Mookie struggled on offense for most of the year, he didn’t let it affect his defense and now he is hitting again which is a needed bonus in the playoffs. And Miggy Ro is the definition of a team player, playing any where he is asked with great defense and helping his team members be bette. Look how he has helped Mookie on defense. I sincerely hope the Dodgers offer him an instructors position in the organization when he is done because he will still have a lot to offer to the up and coming Dodger infielders to help their improve defensive game, the Dodger Way…
Mookie Betts being a Gold Glove finalist at shortstop is simply astounding. He’s definitely heating up at the right time as the Dodgers continue their journey through October, but superb defense all year long is perhaps even more impressive.