Boston Red Sox: Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley, Dustin Pedroia named finalists for Gold Glove Award

The Boston Red sox have three players nominated as finalists for the Gold Glove Award, given to the best defensive player at each position.

The Boston Red Sox are more than just an offensive juggernaut, they can flash some leather too.

Center fielder Jackie Bradley, Jr., right fielder Mookie Betts and second baseman Dustin Pedroia are all among the American League finalists at their respective positions for the Gold Glove Award, which recognizes the best defensive player at each position.

Part of what separates Betts from some of the other competition in the MVP race is the value he provides with his outstanding defensive play. The budding superstar led all players at any position with 32 Defensive Runs Saved this season and he was second among right fielders with 14 outfield assists. He also made only one error all season, finishing with a near perfect .997 fielding percentage. Betts is in a league of his own at his position and should run away with the award.

The advanced metrics weren’t as kind to Bradley as one would expect from a center fielder with his reputation as a defensive wizard, but he was still third in the league at his position with 11 DRS and led all major league center fielders with 13 assists. He’ll face stiff competition for the award from Toronto’s Kevin Pillar and Tampa Bay’s Kevin Kiermaier, which goes to show that the AL East is loaded with premium defensive players patrolling center field.

This talented outfield duo will each be vying for their first Gold Gloves. Add in promising young rookie Andrew Benintendi and the Red Sox have arguably the best defensive outfield in the majors.

The other nominee is no stranger to the award. Pedroia has already collected four Gold Gloves in his career and has built a strong case for making it a full handful. He tied Detroit’s Ian Kinsler for the most DRS in the majors at the position with 12, while his .990 fielding percentage trailed only Seattle’s Robinson Cano among AL second basemen.

While the Red Sox were unceremoniously swept in the American League Division Series, there is some consolation in several members of the team being in line to potentially take home some hardware. David Ortiz was named as the Hank Aaron Award winner, given to the top offensive performer in the league. He and Betts also figure to factor prominently in the MVP discussion, while Rick Porcello will get plenty of attention in the Cy Young race.

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It’s not the trophy Red Sox Nation hoped for, but being recognized for so many season awards is a good sign moving forward, as it shows how loaded this roster is with elite talent.