After Mookie Betts made marvelous play after terrific play in the postseason – including two grand slam burglaries and a vital catch of a sinking liner in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series – it should not shock anyone that Betts is the National League Gold Glove victor for right field. In his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Betts asserted his fifth back to back Gold Glove Award subsequent to winning four with the Boston Red Sox.
Despite the fact that postseason play doesn’t factor in to the honors, Betts’ catch of Dansby Swanson’s line drive in the third inning may have spared the game – and the Dodgers’ season. The Braves, up 3-1 in the arrangement, driven 2-0 with sprinters at second and third and one out when Betts made his get, with Marcell Ozuna at that point precluded for leaving third base early. The catch kept the game close, and the Dodgers mobilized to win 7-3.
“Unbelievable play by an unbelievable player in a big moment,” teammate Corey Seager said after that game. “That is what you need to win baseball games this time in the year.”
Betts was tied for third among all players with 11 protective runs spared, attached with Byron Buxton and following just Nolan Arenado’s 15 and Joey Gallo’s 12. Arenado won his eighth continuous Gold Glove at third base, coordinating each of the eight seasons he has played in the majors. Gallo is known for his monstrous homers, yet he acquired his first Gold Glove subsequent to moving to right field on a full-time reason without precedent for his vocation.
2020 Gold Glove Winners
| POS. | AL | NL |
|---|---|---|
| C | Roberto Perez, Indians | Tucker Barnhart, Reds |
| 1B | Evan White, Mariners | Anthony Rizzo, Cubs |
| 2B | Cesar Hernandez, Indians | Kolten Wong, Cardinals |
| SS | J.P. Crawford, Mariners | Javier Baez, Cubs |
| 3B | Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Rangers | Nolan Arenado, Rockies |
| LF | Alex Gordon, Royals | Tyler O’Neill, Cardinals |
| CF | Luis Robert, White Sox | Trent Grisham, Padres |
| RF | Joey Gallo, Rangers | Mookie Betts, Dodgers |
| P | Griffin Canning, Angels | Max Fried, Braves |
The current year’s Gold Gloves depended on an assortment of cautious measurements known as the SABR Defensive Index, which consolidates a few strategies for assessing guarded execution factually. In view of MLB’s local timetable this season, administrators and mentors – typically one piece of the last part – didn’t cast a ballot.
Other recurrent victors:
In the National League, Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo (fourth by and large) and second baseman Kolten Wong of the Cardinals (second generally speaking) were victors. The Cardinals didn’t get Wong’s $12.5 million group alternative for 2021, so he brings his Gold Glove into free office. Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart additionally won his second Gold Glove subsequent to winning in 2017.
Rizzo said acquiring the honor for the third consecutive year in the pandemic-abbreviated season “is something that definitely feels good.”
“I think that with this year and everything that every team had to go through is going to be a growing year for a lot of people, including myself,” Rizzo said on the 10th Rawlings Gold Glove Award show broadcast by ESPN. “So to be able to win a Gold Glove is something I will never, ever take for granted.”
In the American League, Indians catcher Roberto Perez won his subsequent straight, and Royals left defender Alex Gordon won his fourth in succession and the eighth of his vocation. Gordon, who declared his retirement in September, turns into the 6th player to win a Gold Glove in his last season, joining pitchers Greg Maddux, Mike Mussina and Bobby Shantz, outfielder Roberto Clemente and first baseman Wes Parker. Gordon completes his profession as one of the best cautious left defenders ever. In light of absolute zone handling runs, an expected protective estimation that returns to 1953, Gordon trails just Barry Bonds and Carl Yastrzemski in profession runs spared.
“This is kind of the perfect retirement present to get walking out,” Gordon said on ESPN, adding that triumphant eight Gold Gloves is something he was unable to have foreseen, however he feels “very fortunate that it happened.”
White Sox focus defender Luis Robert beat Buxton, and Mariners first baseman Evan White edged double cross victor Matt Olson, with the pair turning into the main youngster champs since Arenado won in 2013. Fledglings shortstop Javier Baez, known for his handling wizardry, battled at the plate in 2020 yet won his first Gold Glove, beating Swanson, who drove all shortstops in DRS.
Gordon, Indians second baseman Cesar Hernandez, White and Wong procured $18,519 rewards, customized bits of $50,000. Arenado and Robert acquired $9,259, allocated parts of $25,000, and St. Louis left defender Tyler O’Neill procured $3,704, an allocated bit of $10,000.
Perez’s 2021 pay raised by $250,000 to $5.75 million, and Barnhart’s by $250,000 to $4 million.
