When Rawlings announced the 2026 Platinum Glove winners on November 6, Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger claimed Major League Baseball’s highest defensive honors, pairing individual accolades with team-level recognition for their respective franchises.
The Platinum Glove honors are decided by combining global fan voting through Rawlings with the SABR Defensive Index. Crow-Armstrong secured the National League award after a campaign that saw him lead the majors with 26 Outs Above Average, alongside 16 Defensive Runs Saved. Bellinger took the American League award in his second season with the Yankees, anchoring left field with 21 Defensive Runs Saved and six Outs Above Average on a 93.3 mph arm strength that ranked in the 94th percentile of all major leaguers.
Platinum Pete 🤩 Pete Crow-Armstrong is your 2026 NL Rawlings Platinum Glove Award winner 👏 pic.twitter.com/djjCTZ57S6
— https://x.com/WatchMarquee/status/2118917294361391268
Chicago and Toronto Lead Defensive Club Honors
Team defense awards followed similar organizational dominance. The Chicago Cubs won the National League Team Gold Glove for the second consecutive season, backed by 72 Outs Above Average and 115 Defensive Runs Saved. In the American League, the Toronto Blue Jays captured the team honor for the third time since 2020 despite having no individual Gold Glove winners on their roster, finishing with 15 Outs Above Average and 51 Defensive Runs Saved, according to Mlbtraderumors.
Ballot Debates Highlight Statistical Divides
Boston Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela recorded 21 defensive runs saved and 16 Outs Above Average, while teammate Wilyer Abreu led all outfielders with 28 Defensive Runs Saved. Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Taylor Walls paced all major leaguers with 3.0 defensive WAR.
The Best Defence In Baseball 🏆 Your Blue Jays are AL Team Gold Glove Award Winners! pic.twitter.com/sYJ1ftHoBl
— https://x.com/BlueJays/status/2118906068315349286
Fans used Rawlings.com to select the best defender among the ten Gold Glove winners in each league. The awards themselves will be presented to the athletes and their teams during games in the early portion of the 2027 regular season. For the Cubs, this defensive excellence complements a core that has secured consecutive team honors and a strong foundation under their current roster framework.
Among individual positional winners across the two leagues, the National League list featured New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean, Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno, Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson, Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang, Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman, Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio, Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll, and Atlanta Braves utility player Mauricio Dubón.
Though Sato isn’t a five-tool superstar – he’s going to strike out a lot and play below-average defense – he should hit for enough power to be a productive, heart-of-the-order power hitter with 25-30 home runs.
Eric Longenhagen, FanGraphs lead prospect analyst
Crow-Armstrong and Bellinger Win Platinum Glove Awards
Crow-Armstrong becomes the first National League center fielder to win a Platinum Glove in the award’s 16-year history and joins Anthony Rizzo in 2016 as the only Cubs recipients. Bellinger joins Jose Trevino in 2022 as the second Yankees player to win the honor since its 2011 introduction, adding to a career resume that includes a five-year, $162.5 million contract signed with New York last winter. The awards arrive ahead of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America Most Valuable Player announcements on November 12, where Crow-Armstrong enters as a finalist following his 40-40 season.
Earlier coverage: MLB Announces 2026 Gold Glove Winners With Nine First-Time Recipients
PCA … and the P stands for Platinum 😤 Pete Crow-Armstrong is the first National League center fielder to win the honor in its 16-year history. pic.twitter.com/kobRn4VUD9
— https://x.com/MLB/status/2118917177268912557
More on Pete Crow
From Gold to Platinum 👏 Congratulations to Cody Bellinger, the @RawlingsSports 2026 AL Platinum Glove Winner! pic.twitter.com/qtPfhq7c07
— https://x.com/Yankees/status/2119061557871071235
Cody Bellinger adds the Rawlings Platinum Glove to his crowded trophy case 🏆 He joins Jose Trevino (2022) as the only Yankees to win the Platinum Glove in the 16-year history of the award. pic.twitter.com/doX74TQy0H
— https://x.com/MLB/status/2118917870264439121