Happ wins again as Chicago Cubs earn a major league-high 3 Gold Glove awards

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs had a major league-high three Gold Glove winners this year, with Pete Crow-Armstrong, Ian Happ and Nico Hoerner all taking home baseball’s most famous fielding honour.

It was the first Gold Glove for Crow-Armstrong, part of a breakout season for the All-Star centre fielder. Happ won for the fourth consecutive year in left field, and it was the second Gold Glove for Hoerner at second base.

“Four straight’s pretty special,” Happ said. “We had an unbelievable defensive team this year. Just all around, I think we built off each other and kind of fed off each other and the energy, and it was a real source of pride among the group.”

Hoerner also won in 2023. He was slowed at the beginning of this season as he made his way back from right flexor tendon surgery on Oct. 11, 2024.

“To have an injury that directly impacts your defence and still win this award, yeah, it feels really good,” Hoerner said.

Kansas City, Boston and San Francisco each had two winners. Eight players earned the award for the first time, St. Louis-based Rawlings announced on Sunday.

Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia of the Royals became the first shortstop-third baseman teammates to win in the same season since J.J. Hardy and Manny Machado for the Orioles in 2013. It was Witt’s second straight Gold Glove at shortstop.

Patrick Bailey and Logan Webb of the Giants are the first battery from the same team to win a Gold Glove in the same season since Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright for the Cardinals in 2013. It was Bailey’s second straight win at catcher.

The Red Sox winners were right-fielder Wilyer Abreu and centre-fielder Ceddanne Rafaela. The 26-year-old Abreu also won last year, and the 25-year-old Rafaela earned the award for the first time.

New York Yankees pitcher Max Fried and Cleveland left fielder Steven Kwan joined Happ as four-time winners. Atlanta first baseman Matt Olson earned his third Gold Glove.

Detroit catcher Dillon Dingler, Texas second baseman Marcus Semien, Houston utility man Mauricio Dubón and first baseman Ty France rounded out the AL winners. France was traded from Minnesota to Toronto on July 31.

San Diego right-fielder Fernando Tatis Jr., St. Louis shortstop Masyn Winn, third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes and Miami utility man Javier Sanoja also won in the NL. It’s the second Gold Glove for Tatis and Hayes, who was traded from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati on July 30.

Semien earned a $100,000 bonus for winning the honour. Kwan and Witt each got $50,000, and Hayes earned a $25,000 bonus.

Voting was conducted among managers and up to six coaches from each team, who can’t select players on their own club. Since 2013, voting has been factored with a Society for American Baseball Research defensive index, which comprises about 25% of the total.

The utility category is based on a SABR formula and additional defensive statistics.

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Jay Cohen, The Associated Press