Major League Baseball announced the 2026 Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners on Sunday, honoring the game’s elite defenders with a balanced mix of repeat champions and nine first-time recipients while the Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks led all clubs with three winners each.
The annual announcement capped a grueling 162-game campaign by spotlighting the players who turned the most difficult defensive plays appear effortless through a voting system split between baseball managers, coaches, and advanced metrics. Voting decisions rely on a formula where MLB managers and coaches from all 30 teams account for 75 percent of the process, while the sabermetrics community and the SABR Defensive Index influence the remaining 25 percent.
Red Sox and Diamondbacks Lead the Major Leagues With Three Gold Gloves Each
Boston and Arizona separated themselves from the rest of the league by capturing three defensive awards apiece. For the Red Sox, right fielder Wilyer Abreu secured his third consecutive Gold Glove in his first three full seasons in the majors, leading qualified right fielders with 13 outfield assists. Center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela joined him by locking down his second straight AL honor in center field, pacing American League peers with 21 Defensive Runs Saved and 16 Outs Above Average.
The crown jewel of Boston’s haul belonged to third baseman Caleb Durbin, who became the first Red Sox infielder at the hot corner to win the award since Frank Malzone won three straight between 1957 and 1959.
Arizona mirrored Boston’s trio in the National League. Catcher Gabriel Moreno captured his second Gold Glove in three seasons while also finishing the year with a stellar .311/.388/.486 slashing line, joining Minnesota Twins legend Joe Mauer as the only catchers in history to win a Gold Glove and a batting title in the same season. Shortstop Geraldo Perdomo and right fielder Corbin Carroll rounded out the Diamondbacks’ selections as first-time winners.
Christian Walker and Matt Olson Join Elite Company With Fourth Career Awards
Veteran first basemen Christian Walker of Houston and Matt Olson of Atlanta both claimed their fourth career Gold Gloves, establishing themselves among the premier defensive anchors of their generation. Walker secured his first American League honor after capturing three straight awards with Arizona from 2022 to 2024. Walker earned a $75,000 bonus for the victory.
Olson added another National League trophy to a mantle that previously featured wins in 2018, 2019, and 2025. The milestone places both first basemen alongside J.T. Snow and Adrián González as the only players to win Gold Glove fielding honors at first base in both leagues.
Nolan McLean Makes History as the First Rookie Pitcher to Secure a Gold Glove
New York Mets right-hander Nolan McLean carved his name into the record books by becoming the first rookie pitcher in MLB history to win a Gold Glove award.
Throughout a season filled with unforgettable defensive highlights, this year’s Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners consistently separated themselves from the competition, combining elite skill, instincts, and reliability while making the most difficult plays appear effortless.
Mike Thompson, Rawlings chief marketing officer
McLean’s triumph also snaps a 12-year drought for the Mets franchise, whose last winner at any position was center fielder Juan Lagares in 2014. McLean joins Ron Darling in 1989 as the only Mets pitchers ever to receive the defensive honor.
Cubs and Mariners Celebrate Standout Defenses Across Both Leagues
Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong collected his second consecutive National League Gold Glove after posting an astonishing +26 Fielding Runs Value, which ranks as the fifth-highest single-season total since the metric debuted in 2016. Third baseman Alex Bregman joined him in Chicago by earning his second career award and his first in the National League, marking the first time a Cubs third baseman won the fielding prize since Ron Santo in 1968.
It’s just something I take pride in stepping out with guys who have a lot of hardware when it comes to defense.
Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs center fielder
In the American League, Seattle Mariners second baseman Cole Young secured his first career Gold Glove at age 23, becoming the first Mariners infielder to win the award since 2020. Meanwhile, Atlanta Braves utility star Mauricio Dubón claimed his third utility Gold Glove in four years after logging innings across second base, third base, shortstop, left field, and center field during the 2026 schedule.