This story was excerpted from Kennedi Landry’s Rangers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
ARLINGTON -- The World Series between the Rays and Brewers has concluded with Milwaukee winning its first World Series in team history, which means awards season will soon be upon us.
The Rangers -- the reigning winner of the Rawlings Gold Glove Team Award -- are most likely to be represented in that field again this season. Texas has four finalists for an American League Gold Glove Award in 2026: ace Jacob deGrom, utilityman Ezequiel Duran, as well as outfielders Wyatt Langford and Evan Carter.
Duran made starts at every position except for pitcher and catcher: shortstop (49), third base (41), second base (25), center field (14), left field (9), right field (7) and first base (1), collecting a team-high 17 Outs Above Average (OAA), which is tied for the seventh-highest total in MLB.
He registered positive OAA values at shortstop (11), second base (3) and third base (2), while also recording 1 or more Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) at three different positions: third base (3), right field (3) and shortstop (1), per Baseball-Reference.
Carter appeared in 140 games (112 starts) in center field, accrued 11 Outs Above Average (tied for third among AL center fielders) and 6 FanGraphs Defensive Runs Saved (tied for second among AL centerfielders). His 1,009 2/3 innings played in center were tied for fifth-most in the AL.
Langford appeared mostly in left field (92 games, 87 starts), but also saw time in center (17 games, 13 starts). He collected 9 DRS in left field and 1 DRS in center, per Baseball-Reference, committing just one error the entire season (a throwing error on Aug. 25 against the White Sox). His five outfield assists led all Rangers outfielders.
deGrom did not record an error in 162 2/3 innings this season, accumulating 1 DRS on the year.
Rawlings will announce the 2026 Gold Glove Award winners at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN on Nov. 1.
The Rangers also have three finalists for the 2026 All-MLB Team. Closer Jacob Latz joins deGrom and Duran on that list.
Latz, who became the closer in mid-May, finished the season with a 2.13 ERA in 58 appearances and just one start during the first weekend of the season. His 30 saves ranked sixth in the AL and tied for 10th in MLB with Milwaukee’s Trevor Megill.
The MLB Awards will broadcast on MLB Network from The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas from 8-10 p.m. CT on Nov. 11 at the end of the GM Meetings. Along with the All-MLB First and Second Teams, a number of other awards will also be announced, including the Hank Aaron Award winners, the Comeback Players of the Year, the Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman Relievers of the Year, the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter of the Year and the MLB Executive of the Year.
The finalists for this year’s BBWAA awards -- MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year, Reliever of the Year -- will be announced live on MLB Network on Monday night. The Rangers are unlikely to have finalists for any of those, though it does stand to reason that Latz could potentially receive down-ballot Reliever of the Year votes.
Other important dates:
Monday, Nov. 2
• Silver Slugger finalists announced at 1 p.m. CT by Louisville Slugger
Duran is again most likely to be represented as a finalist here.
KEY NOVEMBER DATES
- First day after World Series: Players become free agents; players may be traded between clubs
- Rangers pending free agents: DH Joc Pederson, C Kyle Higashioka (mutual option), RHP Jakob Junis (mutual option), LHP Tyler Alexander, LHP Jordan Montgomery, RHP Cal Quantrill, RHP Jalen Beeks, INF Nicky Lopez, C Elias Diaz
- Five days after World Series (4 pm C.T.): Deadline for teams to make a qualifying offer to players; players can begin signing with any club
- Nov. 10-12: General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas
- Nov. 17 (3 pm C.T.): Deadline for players to accept a qualifying offer
- Nov. 20: Tender deadline
- Rangers arbitration eligible players: 3B Josh Jung, UTL Ezequiel Duran, LHP Jacob Latz, OF Evan Carter, OF Wyatt Langford, 1B Jake Burger, LHP Robert Garcia, C Logan O’Hoppe