KANSAS CITY, MO (October 25, 2018) - Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc., a subsidiary of Newell Brands, announced today that two Kansas City Royals - left fielder Alex Gordon and catcher Salvador Perez - have been named finalists for 2018 American League Rawlings Gold Glove Awards ®.u5:p
Since 2011, Gordon and Perez have accounted for nine of the Royals' 14 Rawlings Gold Glove Awards, which are the most by any team in the Majors during that span. That includes Rawlings Gold Glove Awards in four consecutive seasons for both Gordon (2011-14) and Perez (2013-16). Gordon also received the honor last season. Kansas City is the only American League team with at least one Rawlings Gold Glove winner in each of the last seven seasons (2011-17).u5:p
Rawlings also announced that winners will be revealed on Sunday, November 4 at 8 p.m. CT, during a special edition of "Baseball Tonight - The 2018 Rawlings Gold Glove Award Announcement Show," which will air on ESPN. The Rawlings Gold Glove Awards honor the best individual fielding performances at each position in the American League and National League, as voted by Major League managers and coaches.
Gordon, whose nine outfield assists were three behind the American League lead, is attempting to win his sixth Rawlings Gold Glove Award (2011-14, '17), while he was also the Rawlings Platinum Glove winner in 2014. The only other Royal to win more Rawlings Gold Glove awards was eight-time winner, Frank White (1977-82, '86-87). Alex is one of two players to be named a finalist for a Rawlings Gold Glove Award each year since Rawlings started naming finalists in 2011, along with St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina. Should he win, Gordon would break a tie with Jason Heyward (a National League finalist in right field) for the second most Rawlings Gold Glove Awards by an outfielder among active players, trailing only Ichiro Suzuki (10). The other left field finalists for this season are Boston's Andrew Benintendi and the Yankees' Brett Gardner.u5:p
Perez threw out 24 would-be base stealers in 51 attempts (47.1%), tied for the second most in the Majors. He's the seventh player since 1913 to record zero errors in at least 96 starts behind the plate, joining: James McCann (2015), Chris Snyder (2008), Chris Iannetta (2008), Mike Matheny (2003), Charles Johnson (1997) and Buddy Rosar (1946). Perez is up for a fifth Rawlings Gold Glove Award in six seasons, and is just the second Royals catcher to earn the honor, joining Bob Boone (1989). Should he win, Perez would become one of seven catchers to win at least five Rawlings Gold Gloves, joining: Iván 'Pudge' Rodríguez (13), Johnny Bench (10), Yadier Molina (8), Boone (7), Jim Sundberg (6) and Bill Freehan (5). Other finalists include: Cleveland's Yan Gomes and Houston's Martin Maldonado.
Following the ESPN announcement telecast, voting for the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award presented by SABR, will begin at www.rawlings.com. The public can weigh in as to who is the "Finest in the Field" in both leagues, selecting one player from each league's Gold Glove Award winners. A combination of the international vote and the SABR Defensive Index will determine who takes home the honor of each league's top defensive player. The Rawlings Platinum Glove Award winners will be unveiled during the 2018 Rawlings Gold Glove Awards Ceremony presented by Gold Sport Collectibles on Friday, November 9.  u5:p