2026 Rawlings Gold Glove Award Winners to be Unveiled Tonight

Thirty Major League Baseball managers and up to six coaches from each team cast the votes that make up 75 percent of the selection total for the 2026 Rawlings Gold Glove Awards, with the SABR Defensive Index counting for the remaining 25 percent. The winners are scheduled to be unveiled tonight at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on a special-edition ESPN Baseball Tonight broadcast, mlb.com reported.

Qualified Players Vote for 2026 Award Finalists

The finalists for the 2026 awards were originally announced on October 14. Each league features three finalists at every standard position, along with a utility spot first introduced in 2022. For the standard nine positions, voters were drawn from a pool of qualified players in their respective leagues, excluding members of their own teams. According to sabr.org, the SABR Defensive Index assists in determining both the Gold Glove winners and the subsequent Rawlings Platinum Glove Award.

Club representation among the finalists varies significantly across the league. The Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago Cubs lead all organizations with five nominees each. The Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers, and Kansas City Royals follow closely with four finalists apiece.

Bibee and Other Pitchers Compete for Honors

The American League pitcher category features three players who have never won the award: Tanner Bibee of the Cleveland Guardians, Jacob deGrom of the Rangers, and José Soriano of the Los Angeles Angels and Blue Jays. Bibee holds an edge with +5 Defensive Runs Saved and a tie for second in the majors with +9 net bases prevented, a Statcast metric tracking control of the running game. In the National League, Michael McGreevy of the St. Louis Cardinals, Nolan McLean of the New York Mets, and Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves are finalists.

Behind the plate, Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler enters the evening seeking his second honor after winning in 2025. Dingler paced all catchers with a +17 Fielding Run Value and a +22.1 Defensive Rating via FanGraphs. In the National League, Freddy Fermin of the San Diego Padres, Gabriel Moreno of the Diamondbacks, and Luis Torrens of the Mets secured finalist nods.

Fan Voting Opens for Platinum Glove Award

Following the conclusion of tonight’s ESPN broadcast, online voting opens for the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award, determined by a combination of the SABR Defensive Index and a national fan vote. Final SABR Defensive Index rankings will be published immediately after the broadcast. The Platinum Glove winners will be unveiled at the Rawlings Gold Glove Award Ceremony scheduled for Friday, November 6, in New York.

Disclaimer: The insights provided in this article are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or sports betting recommendations.