The Blue Jays put five players on the Gold Glove finalist list this season and still came away empty-handed. That kind of outcome is unusual, but it’s not unheard of. The 2013 Dodgers had five finalists and none won, while the Diamondbacks got five finalists in 2019 and took home three awards, then repeated the feat in 2024 and won once.
Toronto’s group included some strong defensive seasons, but the winners at each spot had the edge when the numbers were lined up.
At pitcher, Tanner Bibee finished with the better case. He led American League pitchers with 5 Defensive Runs Saved and posted +9 net bases prevented, tied for second in MLB. That was enough to put him first among league pitchers in SDI at 2.8 points, ahead of Soriano’s 1.9.
Behind the plate, there wasn’t much suspense. Dingler turned in the best defensive season at catcher in the majors, finishing with +17 Fielding Run Value and 15 Defensive Runs Saved.
He also led American League catchers in SDI at 11.4. Even so, Valenzuela’s first full-time season with the Jays was still a major step forward.
He finished with 13 FRV in 618 ⅔ innings, 9 DRS, 8 Catcher Framing Runs, and 8 Caught Stealing Above Average. The one area that still needs work is pitch blocking, where he ended at -3 Block Above Average and allowed 31 wild pitches.
First base turned into one of the tighter debates. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. finished ahead of Walker in SDI, 6.2 to 5.3, and both had 4 Runs Prevented, tied with Paul Goldschmidt.
In the new Receiving OAA metric, Goldschmidt and Walker each posted +3, while Guerrero Jr. had +2. Walker still separated himself in the details.
He was slightly behind in Range, +2 to +4, but his work on double plays helped swing the position his way. He also posted the best fielding percentage among American League first basemen at .997, committed just three errors, finished with +3 Outs Above Average, and tied for the league lead with +7 Fielding Run Value.
Shortstop was the clearest call of the bunch. Voters leaned heavily on the 21 Defensive Runs Saved posted by Walls, which led all major league shortstops.
The closest challenger was the Yankees’ Jose Caballero with 13 DRS. Walls also led American League shortstops in SDI at 8.6, with Gimenez next at 4.0.
The advanced metrics told a different story, though. Bobby Witt Jr. led the American League with 17 FRV and 24 OAA, with Gimenez behind him, while Walls finished at -2 FRV and -3 OAA.
In right field, Lukes turned in a strong year for Toronto, but Wilyer Abreu’s season was too loud to ignore. Abreu led all of MLB with 28 Defensive Runs Saved, added 13 assists, and posted an average arm velocity of 95.3 mph, which ranked in the 98th percentile in the majors.
That was enough to earn him his third straight Gold Glove. Lukes still put together a solid defensive line with 11 DRS, 7 FRV, and 2 OAA, and he did it without an error.
In Other News...
Kevin Gausman Just Revived A Blue Jays Question Fans Werent Expecting
Kevin Gausman has been away from the Blue Jays since the trade deadline, when he was dealt to the Cubs and went on to help Chicago reach the postseason. Still, a Halloween photo was enough to get Toronto fans talking again, because the former Blue Jays pitcher showed up wearing a Maple Leafs jersey and reminded everyone just how easy it is to connect him back to this market.
The timing only added to the chatter. Gausman is now a free agent, and he recently listed his Toronto home for sale, which makes any talk of a return feel more complicated than a costume choice on a holiday night. Even so, once a player like Gausman pops back into the Toronto conversation, it is hard for fans not to wonder whether there is still another chapter left to write. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Offseason Debate Just Got A Compelling New Offensive Option
The Blue Jays offseason search for offense has taken on a familiar shape, with a former Toronto outfielder weighing in on a free agent who would fit the club in a very different way than the power bats often linked to this market. Luis Arraez is the kind of hitter who changes the tone of a lineup with contact, discipline and the ability to keep innings alive, and his recent All-Star season split between the Giants and Phillies only adds to the appeal for a team looking to sharpen its attack.
Kevin Pillar has made it clear he believes Toronto should be in on Arraez, and the case is easy to understand from the Blue Jays side. While the front office is also being tied to other free agents with more pop, Arraez would offer a complementary skill set and some defensive flexibility, giving Toronto a different kind of offensive option as it tries to round out the roster for next season. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays May Have Found Their Best Rotation Upgrade This Winter
Michael King is suddenly one of the more intriguing arms on the market after opting out of his contract with the Padres, and the timing lines up with a Blue Jays offseason that could use more help in the rotation. Toronto has been linked to the idea of adding starting pitching, and Kings appeal is easy to see: he just put together a strong season as a starter, working 185 innings with a 3.21 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP.
For the Blue Jays, the fit is about more than just numbers. King has shown he can handle a workload and provide steady production, two traits that matter for a club looking to stabilize its staff, but there is still no official sign that Toronto has made a move. The market will help determine how realistic he is as a target, and the kind of contract it takes to land him could end up telling the story of how aggressive the Blue Jays plan to be this winter. [Read more 🡒]