One in Five Blue Jays: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Named Gold Glove Finalist
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By Doug Hirdle
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Summary:
- Guerrero Jr. is one of three American League finalists at first base despite recording nine home runs and 56 RBIs.
- Four other Blue Jays also made it on the short list.
- Nathan Lukes led Toronto with 11 defensive runs saved, followed by Guerrero with 10 and Brandon Valenzuela with nine.
Despite going through a rough season packed with challenges, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has received the prestigious nomination for the 2026 Rawlings Gold Glove title. He has joined four other Toronto Blue Jays players nominated for the annual defensive awards.
One of Three American League Finalists
Guerrero is has also won the feat of being one of three American League finalists at first base, next to Vinnie Pasquantino of the Kansas City Royals and Christian Walker of the Houston Astros.
The awards recognize the best defensive players at each position in both leagues.
The Blue Jays first baseman finished the season with a .260 batting average, a .332 on-base percentage and a .356 slugging percentage, along with nine home runs and 56 runs batted in. While his production at the plate fell short of expectations, his defensive work remained a positive throughout the campaign.
Toronto manager John Schneider praised Guerrero’s ability to keep his defensive responsibilities separate from his struggles offensively, according to the report.
Four other Blue Jays were also named finalists on Wednesday. Nathan Lukes is nominated in right field, Brandon Valenzuela at catcher, Andres Gimenez at shortstop and Jose Soriano among pitchers.
Showing Strong Defense
According to FanGraphs, Nathan Lukes was the one who led his side with a total of 11 defensive runs saved during the season. Guerrero ranked second with 10, while Valenzuela recorded nine despite appearing in only 91 games.
Defensive runs saved is a special measures used in statistics to estimate the number of runs a player has prevented, compared with an average defender at the same position.
The figures offer another indication of the contributions made by Toronto’s finalists beyond their offensive numbers.
The Gold Glove winners will be announced on Sunday evening, November 1.
Toronto had one winner at the previous year’s awards, with first baseman Ty France earning the Blue Jays’ only Gold Glove in 2025.
For Guerrero, a win would recognize a part of his game that remained productive during a season when his offensive numbers fell below his usual standards.
The five nominations also give Toronto several opportunities to add to its collection of individual defensive honors.
Doug Hirdle
Author
betting.ca
