The Red Sox have never had a Platinum Glove winner in the award’s 15-year run, but Wilyer Abreu has given them a real shot to change that.
Abreu just picked up his third straight Gold Glove, and he did it with a defensive resume that stood out even in a crowded field. His +28 Defensive Runs Saved led all of MLB, and the gap was real - the only player within five DRS of him was Milwaukee’s Brice Turang at +23.
That kind of edge matters because the Platinum Glove is decided by fan voting on Rawlings’ website, and ballots are open now. Anyone who votes is also entered into a lottery for a prize, with the top reward listed as a $1,000 gift card.
The winners of both the award and the lottery will be announced on Nov. 6.
Boston does have other Gold Glove winners in the mix. Ceddanne Rafaela and Caleb Durbin are also eligible after winning at their positions this year. But Abreu has the clearest case by far, thanks to that huge DRS cushion.
Rafaela probably had the stronger all-around defensive numbers on an objective level, finishing with +21 DRS, tied for second in the AL, while also placing in the top three in both Outs Above Average and Fielding Run Value. Durbin, meanwhile, was the best third baseman in baseball not named Alex Bregman. Still, neither has the same easy-to-sell headline as Abreu’s league-leading DRS total.
Because this award is driven by fans, the best defender doesn’t always win. The Red Sox should have some built-in help from their market size and passionate fanbase, but that hasn’t been enough for them before. Other clubs have built a stronger Platinum Glove track record, with the Royals winning it three times, and the Guardians and Athletics taking it twice each.
One other wrinkle helped Abreu’s case: someone who somehow didn’t win a Gold Glove at shortstop this year is ineligible for the vote, which takes the Junior Circuit leader in both OAA and FRV out of the picture and leaves Abreu with an even clearer path to the prize.
In Other News...
Red Sox Power Problem Could Force A Painful Offseason Decision
Bostons lack of pop was one of the defining issues of the 2026 season, with the Red Sox finishing near the bottom of the league in home runs and runs scored. That kind of offensive shortage has a way of reshaping an offseason, and it is already pushing the front office toward a familiar but uncomfortable idea: if the lineup needs a true middle-of-the-order force, the answer may have to come from outside the organization.
Craig Breslow does not have an easy path to get there. The clubs supply of young pitching prospects has thinned after recent trades, which limits the kinds of packages Boston can put together, and the most attractive chips left are Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela. Moving either one would be a serious call, especially for a player who can realistically bring 35 to 40 homers a year, because that sort of power is hard to find and even harder to pry loose. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Could Solve Two Offseason Needs With One Bold Trade
The Red Sox are still shopping for a right-handed starter and a power bat this offseason, and that has put a familiar name into the center of the conversation. Jarren Duran has been floated as a possible trade chip, and one of the more intriguing fits would send him to Texas, where the Rangers suddenly have a need for outfield help after Evan Carters hip surgery and are also working under payroll pressure.
Nathan Eovaldi is the kind of arm Boston could use to check one box in a hurry, while Duran would give the Rangers a ready-made answer in the outfield. It is the sort of one-move solution that makes sense on paper for both clubs, but for now it remains only a possibility as the Red Sox weigh how aggressively they want to attack two offseason needs at once. [Read more 🡒]
Wilyer Abreu's Rise Leaves Red Sox Facing A Costly Offseason Call
Wilyer Abreus breakout season has given the Red Sox exactly the kind of problem every front office says it wants. After winning his third straight Gold Glove in right field and leading all players in defensive runs saved and outs above average, he also put himself in position for a Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award after the best offensive year of his career. For a player who has grown into one of Bostons most valuable regulars on both sides of the ball, the rise has been as steady as it has been sudden.
Now the challenge shifts from appreciation to accounting. Abreu is arbitration eligible for the first time this offseason, and the combination of elite defense and a stronger bat figures to push his price tag up fast. That leaves the Red Sox weighing a player whose value keeps climbing against the reality that his improved profile could also make him more expensive to keep, and more attractive if the club starts listening on trade possibilities. [Read more 🡒]