CLEVELAND -- It was a credit to the Indians' excellent infield defense that the club had four players in the running for a 2017 Rawlings Gold Glove Award on Tuesday. Ultimately, though, all four had to settle for the silver or bronze this year.
Catcher Yan Gomes, first baseman Carlos Santana, shortstop Francisco Lindor and third baseman Jose Ramirez were all named among the three American League Gold Glove finalists at their positions. But on Tuesday night, the Angels' Martin Maldonado was named the winner at catcher, the Royals' Eric Hosmer at first, the Angels' Andrelton Simmons at shortstop and the Rays' Evan Longoria at third.
Still, as they say, it was an honor to be nominated.
• 2017 Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners
That was particularly true for Santana, who took his defensive game to another level in 2017 in advance of his free-agent eligibility. Santana tied for the AL lead in Defensive Runs Saved (plus-10) at first base alongside Boston's Mitch Moreland, and he led the league's first basemen in assists (95) and double plays started (16).
Lindor was the only Tribe nominee to have won a Gold Glove in the past. He was not only a Gold Glove winner but a Platinum Glove winner (given to the league's best overall defender) in 2016. Lindor remains the only Indians player to win a Gold Glove since Player Page for Grady Sizemore won it in center field in 2008. Gomes had been a finalist in 2014, losing out to the Royals' Salvador Perez. Santana and Ramirez were first-time finalists.
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This year's Gold Glove Awards represent just one way the game's top performers will be recognized. Voting is underway now for the Esurance MLB Awards, which annually honor MLB's greatest achievements as part of an industry-wide balloting process. MLB Awards season will culminate on Nov. 17, when winners are announced live on MLB Network and MLB.com starting at 8 p.m. ET.
The Indians also still have three finalists for the Baseball Writers Association of America awards -- Corey Kluber (Cy Young), Ramirez (MVP) and Terry Francona (Manager of the Year) -- and could have players figure prominently in the Silver Slugger awards, which will be announced Thursday.