Three Red Sox were announced today as finalists at their positions for the Rawlings AL Gold Glove Award. Jackie Bradley Jr. is a finalist in centerfield, Yoenis Cespedes is a finalist in left field and Dustin Pedroia is a finalist at second base.
Cespedes led the AL in outfield assists this season with 16, while Bradley finished tied for second with 13. Pedroia led all regular AL second basemen with only two errors.
If Cespedes is given the award it would surely be based on his arm, as he committed six errors in the outfield this season and looked shaky playing in front of the Green Monster during his brief stint in Boston. He will be competing with Michael Brantley and Alex Gordon for the award.
For Bradley, being named a finalist is impressive considering, right or wrong, offense often factors into the award. While Bradley struggled offensively, he was clearly one of the best defenders in all of baseball, despite only starting 111 games. He will be competing with Adam Eaton and Adam Jones for the award.
Dustin Pedroia is seeking his second consecutive Gold Glove and fourth for his career. Once again, Pedroia was on top of his game defensively despite being hampered by injuries. He will be competing with Robinson Cano and Ian Kinsler for the award.
The award winners will be announced on November 4 at 7:00 pm.