Happy birthday to Hall of Famer Jim Kaat, who turns 88 today. Over 25 big league seasons, Kaat put together a 3.45 ERA and 283 wins, with 15 of those years coming for the Twins/Senators franchise. He also won 16 straight Gold Gloves, which fits neatly with a day built around defense.
Rawlings handed out more hardware Friday, and Cody Bellinger and Pete Crow-Armstrong came away with the top individual defensive honor in each league. After both were named Gold Glove winners last Sunday, the two outfielders added Platinum Gloves to the haul, with Bellinger taking the AL award and Crow-Armstrong the NL award. It was the first Platinum Glove for each player.
For Crow-Armstrong, the recognition is just the latest stop on a trophy run. Along with his Gold Glove, the Cubs center fielder also won the Fielding Bible Award for best defensive player of 2026, and he is widely expected to be named NL MVP on November 12.
Chicago’s defensive awards didn’t stop there. The Cubs also earned the team Gold Glove, given to the best overall defensive club in the league.
Crow-Armstrong was one part of a group that led the majors with 72 Outs Above Average and +115 Defensive Runs Saved. The gap behind them was sizable: the next-best marks were the Diamondbacks’ 44 OAA and the Rays’ +87 DRS.
Toronto joined Chicago on the team side, with the Blue Jays winning the AL team Gold Glove. They finished with 15 OAA and +51 DRS, placing 11th and sixth in the majors in those categories. Since Rawlings began awarding the team Gold Glove in 2020, the Cubs and Blue Jays have each taken it home three times.
In Other News...
Cubs Prospect May Be Forcing A Faster Timeline Than Expected
Josiah Hartshorns rise in the Cubs system has started to look less like a long-term project and more like a player pushing on the door. The top prospect was named the 2026 Rawlings Minor League Gold Glove winner at first base, a notable step for someone who spent time moving around the diamond in the minors before settling in and showing he can handle the position. Add in a strong offensive finish at Double-A in 2026, and it is easy to see why he has become one of the more intriguing names in the organization.
For the Cubs, the question is no longer just how good Hartshorn can be, but how soon he might fit into the picture. There is already speculation that his MLB debut could come as early as 2027, depending on how the roster shapes up and how other players perform ahead of him. For a club always balancing present needs with future upside, Hartshorns progress is the kind of development that can quietly alter the timeline faster than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Are Giving One Bullpen Arm Another Shot To Break Through
After spending the 2026 season with Triple-A Iowa, Gabe Klobosits is getting another look from the Cubs. The right-hander has re-signed on a minor league deal, keeping him in the organization after a year in which he put up a 3.51 ERA and continued to show the kind of arm strength that can make a reliever interesting, with his fastball reaching 98.5 mph.
For Chicago, it is another low-risk bet on a pitcher who has yet to break through to the majors but remains on the radar as a bullpen possibility for 2027. Klobosits never got the call last season, yet the Cubs are clearly willing to give him more runway and see whether the stuff translates into a real big league role down the line. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Face A Catching Decision That Could Shape Next Season
The Cubs are weighing a familiar winter question behind the plate, and it could have ripple effects well beyond Opening Day. Carson Kelly has emerged as the preferred option because of what he brings offensively and because he already knows the staff and the clubhouse, but free agency always forces a team to balance comfort against cost.
Austin Hedges sits there as the more economical alternative, the kind of veteran stopgap a club can use while it waits on a younger catcher to mature. The defensive gap between the two is not expected to be large, which is why this decision may come down to how much the Cubs want to invest now versus how quickly they believe Owen Ayers can become part of the picture. [Read more 🡒]