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MLB's Gold Glove finalists were announced Tuesday, and two Red Sox made the cut: center fielder Jarren Duran and right fielder Wilyer Abreu.
Duran will probably lose to Toronto's Daulton Varsho, a fearless missile who led the league in defensive runs saved (plus-29). It's enough that Duran was nominated given his early-career struggles, but it's also true that he's probably only the second-best center fielder on his own team. Had a gaping crevasse not opened at shortstop, Ceddanne Rafaela might've earned Duran's nomination.
Right field is a different story. Not only should Abreu win, it should be unanimous.
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His competition is Angels outfielder Jo Adell, a former top-five prospect with middling metrics, and much more confusingly, Yankees superstar Juan Soto, who is, to put it kindly, a butcher.
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In shades of Derek Jeter earning Gold Glove nominations every year despite ranking at the bottom of the defensive metrics, Soto was honored despite finishing 36th among big-league right fielders in outs above average at minus-4. Abreu, meanwhile, tied for first at plus-7, but forget about the numbers and just watch each of them play.
Abreu patrolled Fenway Park's right field in a style reminiscent of those we associate with the position. He read the angles like Dwight Evans, hosed throws like Mookie Betts, and sacrificed his body like Trot Nixon. (If you don't believe me on that last point, check out this near-catch again.)
If Betts played right field with an effortless Deion Sanders-style flair, Abreu is more of a rugged Steve Atwater, attacking the position through sheer force of will.
Compare that to Soto, whose primary attribute is an accurate arm. He compiled 10 assists, one more than Abreu, but otherwise looked overwhelmed even by Yankee Stadium's modest right field, routinely letting balls sail over his head while misreading others off the bat and mistiming his dives.
Don't take my word for it, though. Check out this "highlight video" on Twitter/X by Avi Miller, who captures Soto in all his stumbling glory.
made a lil highlight reel in honor of Juan Soto, Gold Glove finalist https://t.co/d3QdBzcGY5 pic.twitter.com/4IMAOpcWg4
— Avi Miller 🟦 (@AviMiIIer) October 15, 2024
It's nothing new. Soto has always been considered a below-average outfielder. In 2021, his fielding run value ranked in the 1st percentile of the league, which is as bad as you can get without decimals. Even if he's not that bad anymore, he's certainly not good, which makes his Gold Glove nomination all the more confusing.
Adell at least covers a lot of ground and has a strong arm, though his advanced metrics were mediocre. In a down year for American League right fielders, with no Ichiro to lay obvious claim to one of his 10 Gold Gloves, a case can be made that Adell at least earned the nomination. Soto is far sketchier.
That leaves Abreu, who deserves the award, hands down.
