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Four Diamondbacks Are 2022 Rawlings Gold Glove Finalists

2022 Gold Glove Finalist Alek Thomas Leaping Catch

2022 Gold Glove Finalists Include Four Diamondbacks at Five Positions

Rawlings announced its 2022 Gold Glove finalists Thursday afternoon, with four Arizona Diamondbacks listed amongst the honorees. Christian Walker, Daulton Varsho, rookie Alek Thomas, and the departed David Peralta finished in the top three at their positions and will learn November 1 whether they’ve won the award. Varsho is a finalist for two different positions, giving the Diamondbacks finalists for five awards in total.

The selection criteria for the Rawlings Gold Glove award consists of a combination of the SABR Defensive Index (25%) and a vote of managers and coaches (75%). For the metric component of the Index, SABR uses Defensive Runs Saved. Each team gets seven votes for the awards in their respective leagues — the manager plus six coaches. There are 10 awards — one per defensive position plus, for the first time, a utility player. No one may vote for a player from his or her own team.

2022 Gold Glove Finalists from the Arizona Diamondbacks

David Peralta, Left Field

David Peralta, traded to the Tampa Bay Rays at the deadline, is a finalist in left field. The 2019 NL Gold Glove winner is up against Ian Happ of the Chicago Cubs and Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers. In 607 innings spread across 75 games, Peralta had 158 putouts, two assists, two errors, and one double play. He had three Total Zone Runs Above Average (Rtot), meaning that his range and arm combined to prevent a combined total of three runs more than the average NL left fielder during his time with the Diamondbacks. In Defensive Runs Saved (Rdrs), which takes difficulty of plays into consideration, Peralta was one below the league average.

Happ, by comparison, had 274 putouts, eight assists, three errors, one double play, two Rtot, and 13 Rdrs in 1233 1/3 innings. Yelich had 189 putouts, two assists, one error, one double play, -1 Rtot, and -2 Rdrs in 1008 2/3 innings.

Alek Thomas, Center Field

Alek Thomas debuted on May 8 and dazzled in center field. In 112 games, Thomas made 311 putouts, including some highlight-reel catches. He added four assists, three errors, two double plays, 11 Rtot, and six Rdrs across 907 1/3 innings. The other two finalists did not make anyone frown. Victor Robles of the Washington Nationals had 340 putouts, seven assists, six errors, and three double plays. This made for four Rtot and 12 Rdrs in 971 2/3 innings across 128 games. Grisham, who has made some outstanding defensive plays so far in the playoffs, had 341 putouts, three assists, two errors, and one double play. He had 16 Rtot and eight Rdrs in 1143 innings across 148 games.

Daulton Varsho

Right Field

Daulton Varsho, who plays the outfield and can play catcher, is a finalist for the first time in his young career. The third-year speedster has also made his share of head-turning defensive plays, prompting manager Torey Lovullo to compare him and Thomas to a couple of Labradors chasing down frisbees on the beach. Varsho played 541 2/3 innings across 71 games in right field, amassing 167 putouts, six assists, and an error. His Rtot was six (fourth in the NL), and his Rdrs was 14 (second in the NL).

The other two right field finalists were Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Juan Soto, who played for the Washington Nationals before being traded to the San Diego Padres at the trade deadline. Soto became a finalist despite a -11 Rtot and -2 Rdrs in 1298 1/3 innings, combined with 304 putouts, three assists, and three errors. Betts played 1154 1/3 innings across 136 games in right field. In that time, he made 298 putouts, eight assists, two errors, and four double plays. This has given him 31 Rtot (yes, 31) and 15 Rdrs.

Utility

Varsho’s ability to play multiple positions well also made him a finalist for the utility position. In 1095 1/3 total defensive innings spread across 136 games — 541 2/3 in right, 378 2/3 in center, and 175 behind the plate — Varsho had 411 putouts, 18 assists, six errors, and two double plays. His Rtot was 11, coupled with 16 Rdrs.

The other two finalists were Tommy Edman and rookie Brendan Donovan, both of the St. Louis Cardinals. Edman played 1270 2/3 innings in 2022 — 614 2/3 at second, 622 at shortstop, 26 at third, three in right, and five in center. In total, he had 224 putouts, 435 assists, six errors, and 102 double plays. This gave him seven Rtot and 19 Rdrs. Donovan played 854 1/3 innings over 106 games — 264 1/3 innings at second, 189 at third, 143 in right, 144 in left, 58 at first, and 56 at short. In total, he had 208 putouts, 180 assists, seven errors, and 49 double plays. This added up to six Rtot and nine Rdrs for the season.

Christian Walker, First Base

Christian Walker is the prohibitive favorite to win the Gold Glove at first base. The 31-year-old played 1292 innings across 150 games, with 1109 putouts, 78 assists, five errors, and 106 double plays. Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves and Paul Goldschmidt of the St. Louis Cardinals — the other finalists — compare well in those categories. Olson, with 1441 innings across 162 games, had 1209 putouts, 101 assists, eight errors, and 104 double plays. Goldschmidt, meanwhile, had 1071 putouts, 91 assists, an error, and 118 double plays in 1103 2/3 innings across 128 games.

However, Walker has significantly higher numbers when it comes to both Rtot and Rdrs. Olson had five Rtot and five Rdrs, while Goldschmidt had two in each category. Walker had more than three times has many as Olson — 18 Rtot and 17 Rdrs. He also had one of the best catches of the season by any position….

Also see, from the author:

Christian Walker: An Elite Defensive First Baseman

The 2022 Gold Glove Awards Show

The Gold Glove finalists will learn their ultimate fate during a special one-hour Baseball Tonight on ESPN Tuesday, November 1, at 2 pm Arizona Time. According to Rawlings, the show will air on-field prior to Game Four of the World Series, hosted by the National League pennant winner.

Main Photo:

Embed from Getty Images

Players Mentioned:

Christian Walker, Daulton Varsho, Alek Thomas, David Peralta, Ian Happ, Christian Yelich, Trent Grisham, Victor Robles, Mookie Betts, Juan Soto, Torey Lovullo, Brendan Donovan, Tommy Edman, Paul Goldschmidt, Matt Olson

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