Five Blue Jays in the mix for 2023 Gold Glove Awards

By Cam Lewis
1 month agoRawlings Baseball announced the finalists (well, the top three vote-getters) for this year’s Gold Glove Awards and five Blue Jays are in the mix — Matt Chapman, Kevin Kiermaier, Alejandro Kirk, Daulton Varsho, and Jose Berrios.
Gold Gloves are handed out annually to the player in each league deemed to be the best at a given position. The winners are determined by a combination of votes from managers and coaches (who can’t vote for their own players) and statistics from the SABR Defensive Index.
It’s no surprise to see the Blue Jays with this many players in the conversation for a Gold Glove given the team’s commitment to defence and run prevention this season. The Blue Jays ranked at the top of Major League Baseball in terms of Defensive Runs Saved, according to both FanGraphs and Fielding Bible, which played a big role in the team’s impressive 3.78 ERA on the season.
The Blue Jays also had five players nominated for Gold Gloves in 2022 but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was the only one who wound up winning. Chapman and Berrios were both finalists last season, along with mid-season additions Whit Merrifield and Jackie Bradley Jr.
Chapman and Kiermaier are both looking for the fourth Gold Glove of their respective careers while Kirk, Varsho, and Berrios are all looking for their first.
Chapman won in 2018, 2019, and 2021 while with the Oakland A’s and Kiermaier won in 2015, 2016, and 2019 while playing for the Tampa Bay Rays. Berrios has been a finalist before, both with the Blue Jays and the Minnesota Twins, but has never won.
Kirk had a difficult season offensively after last year’s Silver Slugger performance but compensated with rock-solid blocking and framing behind the plate. Varsho also struggled with the bat in his first season in Toronto but was incredibly valuable for the team in the outfield. Gabriel Moreno, who was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Varsho last winter, was also named a finalist for the Gold Glove for catchers in the National League.
Full list of 2023 Gold Glove Award finalists…
AMERICAN LEAGUE
PITCHER
José Berríos, TOR
Sonny Gray, MIN
Pablo López, MIN
José Berríos, TOR
Sonny Gray, MIN
Pablo López, MIN
CATCHER
Jonah Heim, TEX
Alejandro Kirk, TOR
Adley Rutschman, BAL
Jonah Heim, TEX
Alejandro Kirk, TOR
Adley Rutschman, BAL
FIRST BASE
Nathaniel Lowe, TEX
Ryan Mountcastle, BAL
Anthony Rizzo, NYY
Nathaniel Lowe, TEX
Ryan Mountcastle, BAL
Anthony Rizzo, NYY
SECOND BASE
Mauricio Dubón, HOU
Andrés Giménez, CLE
Marcus Semien, TEX
Mauricio Dubón, HOU
Andrés Giménez, CLE
Marcus Semien, TEX
THIRD BASE
Alex Bregman, HOU
Matt Chapman, TOR
José Ramírez, CLE
Alex Bregman, HOU
Matt Chapman, TOR
José Ramírez, CLE
SHORTSTOP
Carlos Correa, MIN
Corey Seager, TEX
Anthony Volpe, NYY
Carlos Correa, MIN
Corey Seager, TEX
Anthony Volpe, NYY
LEFT FIELD
Austin Hays, BAL
Steven Kwan, CLE
Daulton Varsho, TOR
Austin Hays, BAL
Steven Kwan, CLE
Daulton Varsho, TOR
CENTER FIELD
Kevin Kiermaier, TOR
Luis Robert Jr., CWS
Julio Rodríguez, SEA
Kevin Kiermaier, TOR
Luis Robert Jr., CWS
Julio Rodríguez, SEA
RIGHT FIELD
Adolis García, TEX
Kyle Tucker, HOU
Alex Verdugo, BOS
Adolis García, TEX
Kyle Tucker, HOU
Alex Verdugo, BOS
UTILITY
Mauricio Dubón, HOU
Zach McKinstry, DET
Taylor Walls, TB
Mauricio Dubón, HOU
Zach McKinstry, DET
Taylor Walls, TB
NATIONAL LEAGUE
PITCHER
Jesús Luzardo, MIA
Taijuan Walker, PHI
Zack Wheeler, PHI
Jesús Luzardo, MIA
Taijuan Walker, PHI
Zack Wheeler, PHI
CATCHER
Patrick Bailey, SF
Gabriel Moreno, AZ
J.T. Realmuto, PHI
Patrick Bailey, SF
Gabriel Moreno, AZ
J.T. Realmuto, PHI
FIRST BASE
Freddie Freeman, LAD
Carlos Santana PIT/MIL
Christian Walker, AZ
Freddie Freeman, LAD
Carlos Santana PIT/MIL
Christian Walker, AZ
SECOND BASE
Nico Hoerner, CHC
Ha-Seong Kim, SD
Bryson Stott, PHI
Nico Hoerner, CHC
Ha-Seong Kim, SD
Bryson Stott, PHI
THIRD BASE
Ke’Bryan Hayes, PIT
Ryan McMahon, COL
Austin Riley, ATL
Ke’Bryan Hayes, PIT
Ryan McMahon, COL
Austin Riley, ATL
SHORTSTOP
Francisco Lindor, NYM
Dansby Swanson, CHC
Ezequiel Tovar, COL
Francisco Lindor, NYM
Dansby Swanson, CHC
Ezequiel Tovar, COL
LEFT FIELD
Ian Happ, CHC
David Peralta, LAD
Eddie Rosario, ATL
Ian Happ, CHC
David Peralta, LAD
Eddie Rosario, ATL
CENTER FIELD
Brenton Doyle, COL
Michael Harris II, ATL
Alek Thomas, AZ
Brenton Doyle, COL
Michael Harris II, ATL
Alek Thomas, AZ
RIGHT FIELD
Mookie Betts, LAD
Fernando Tatis Jr., SD
Lane Thomas, WSH
Mookie Betts, LAD
Fernando Tatis Jr., SD
Lane Thomas, WSH
UTILITY
Mookie Betts, LAD
Ha-Seong Kim, SD
Tommy Edman, STL
Mookie Betts, LAD
Ha-Seong Kim, SD
Tommy Edman, STL
ARTICLE PRESENTED BY BETANO

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