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Assessing Nathan Lukes’ chances of winning his first Gold Glove
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Photo credit: © John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Cynthia Ryley Delaney
Oct 29, 2026, 09:00 EDTUpdated: Oct 28, 2026, 00:21 EDT
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When most think of a Toronto Blue Jays right fielder with a cannon of an arm, most think about Addison Barger.
But due to Barger having a handful of injuries that resulted in him missing pretty much all of the 2026 season, Nathan Lukes received the bulk of the playing time in the Blue Jays’ right field this season. In turn, the 32-year-old was named a finalist for the American League Gold Glove in right field, where he’s up against Houston Astros’ Cam Smith and Boston Red Sox’s Wilyer Abreu.
In this article, we’ll see how he stacks up against his competition for the award. If you missed the other articles in this series, we’ve also looked at Brandon Valenzuela, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Andrés Giménez’ chances of winning their Gold Gloves.
Let’s dig in!

Lukes’ 2026 season stats in right field

Lukes had a tough start to his season with the bat thanks to vertigo. When that issue was fixed, Lukes got hot, then missed a month due to a hamstring injury. As a whole, he finished around league-average with the bat, but was an asset in right field.
The 32-year-old finished with 11 Defensive Runs Saved in right field, good for sixth-most in Major League Baseball and fourth-most in the American League. He didn’t strictly play in right field, also appearing in 80 innings at left field where he finished with 2 DRS, as well as 60 innings in centre field where he had 0 DRS.
Lukes didn’t stand out in terms of Outs Above Average, as his 2 OAA ranked tied for ninth among right fielders with 200 or more innings at the position. Four other American League right fielders finished with a higher OAA.
However, Lukes was successful in terms of Fielding Run Value, as his seven ranked tied for second in Major League Baseball for right fielders. He also picked up 1 FRV in his 60 innings in centre field, and this is thanks to picking up 10 outfield assists while committing just one error. Only five outfielders in MLB had more outfield assists than Lukes, while only two right fielders in MLB finished with more outfield assists.
Barger’s bat was missed this past season, as the Blue Jays’ offence was one of the worst in baseball. However, Lukes more than made up for it on the defensive end and is worthy of a Gold Glove nomination.
That said, how does he stack up against the two other finalists?

How Lukes stacks up against the other nominees

Abreu had a very Daulton Varsho-esque season in right field. In 1,357 innings at the position, the Red Sox’s right fielder finished with 28 Defensive Runs Saved, by far the most in baseball for any position. His OAA and FRV weren’t nearly as good, finishing with 2 OAA and 5 FRV, but no player has finished with 25 or more DRS since Fernando Tatís Jr. in 2023. Abreu finished with more outfield assists than Lukes (13), but committed nine errors in right field to Lukes’ 0.
Smith came up as a third baseman, but moved to right field upon joining the Astros in the big leagues. Of the three, his stats are the worst, totalling just 5 DRS, 6 OAA, and 3 FRV in 1,261.2 innings in right field. His eight outfield assists also were fewer than both Abreu and Lukes, while also committing six errors.

So who wins?

Abreu will more than likely win the Gold Glove for American League right fielders. Not only did he post one of the best DRS in recent memory, but he won the 2024 and 2025 Gold Gloves for the position. Because of superior stats and a track record, it’s hard to see Lukes earning the award over him.
If there is one case for Lukes, it’s the fact Abreu’s nine errors were the most among any right fielder in MLB last season, while Lukes didn’t commit one error in right field. Abreu may have picked up the most outfield assists among any right fielder, but Lukes threw out runners more often.
Abreu’s 13  outfield assists came in 1,357 innings in right field opposed to Lukes’ nine outfield assists in just 786.2 innings. If Lukes had played as many innings as Abreu in right field, he was on pace for 15 outfield assists.
At the end of the day, the award will probably go to Abreu, but it was a darn good season for Lukes in right field.
Cynthia Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, DFOEdmonton, and DFOCalgary. She can be followed on Twitter @CynthiaRDelaney.
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