Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc., and ESPN announced tonight that Royals left fielder Alex Gordon and catcher Salvador Perez have been awarded with Rawlings Gold Gloves. This marks Gordon’s sixth overall Rawlings Gold Glove (2011-14, ’17-18) and Perez’s fifth in the last six seasons (2013-16, ’18). Kansas City has won 16 Rawlings Gold Glove Awards since 2011, most in the Majors during that span. The Royals are the only American League team with at least one Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner in each of the last eight seasons (since 2011), and trail only Colorado’s streak of nine straight seasons among Major League teams.
The awards were voted on by managers and coaches from the American and National Leagues, and honor the best individual fielding performances at each position in both leagues.
Kansas City now has 34 Rawlings Gold Gloves by 13 different players in its 50-year history. Gordon’s six awards are second most in franchise history, trailing Frank White’s eight (1977-82, ’86-87).
Gordon, who was named the Rawlings Platinum Glove winner in 2014, has 91 outfield assists since 2010, tied with Gerardo Parra for most in the Majors during that time. In 2018, he recorded nine outfield assists – his most since 2013 – three behind the Major League leaders. Since moving to the outfield halfway through 2010, only two other outfielders have had more total chances than Gordon (2,512) and fewer errors (17): Nick Markakis (13 E in 2,721 TC) and Mike Trout (16 E in 2,523 TC). Gordon finished the 2018 season with no errors in his last 80 games (139 TC). His six Rawlings Gold Gloves are second most among active outfielders, trailing Ichiro Suzuki’s 10. Gordon was one of three finalists among American League left fielders, beating out Boston’s Andrew Benintendi and New York’s Brett Gardner.
“I’m honored to win the Rawlings Gold Glove this year, and excited to share this award with Salvy,” Gordon said. “Every day I work with [outfield coach] Mitch Maier to be the best defender I can be on a daily basis. I’m happy to share this award with my coaches, teammates and the Royals.”
Perez started 96 games behind the plate – his fewest since 2012 (74) – but did not commit an error, becoming 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). He threw out 24 would-be base stealers in 51 attempts (47.1%), tied for the second most in the Majors. His stolen base percentage against (52.9%) was the best in Royals history, breaking Darrell Porter’s single-season record of 56.1% in 1979, and was the best in the Majors since 2007, when both Joe Mauer (52.5%) and Yadier Molina (50.0%) topped it. Perez also had three catcher pickoffs, extending his Major League-leading total since 2011 to 22. He’s now one of seven catchers to win at least five Rawlings Gold Gloves, joining: Iván ‘Pudge’ Rodríguez (13), Johnny Bench (10), Yadier Molina (9), Bob Boone (7), Jim Sundberg (6) and Bill Freehan (5). He was one of three finalists among American League catchers, beating out Cleveland’s Yan Gomes and Houston’s Martin Maldonado.
“I want to give thanks to God for blessing me every day, my family and my coach Pedro Grifol,” Perez said. “They all have been a huge part of my success and accomplishments in my career. Without their help and support, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today. It was a tough year with two injuries, but my love for the game helped me to stay strong. It is a huge honor to receive another Rawlings Gold Glove in my career.”
Voting for the Rawlings Platinum Gold Glove Award presented by SABR began at the conclusion of the awards show at www.rawlings.com, allowing the public to weigh in as to who is “The Finest in the Field ®” in both the American League and National League. A combination of the international fan 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 Award Ceremony presented by Gold Sport Collectibles on Friday, November 9.
Below is a list of Kansas City’s 34 Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners by 13 different players:
1971 – Amos Otis (OF)
1973 – Amos Otis (OF)
1974 – Amos Otis (OF)
1977 – Al Cowens (OF), Frank White (2B)
1978 – Frank White (2B)
1979 – Frank White (2B)
1980 – Frank White (2B), Willie Wilson (OF)
1981 – Frank White (2B)
1982 – Frank White (2B)
1985 – George Brett (3B)
1986 – Frank White (2B)
1987 – Frank White (2B)
1989 – Bob Boone (C), Bret Saberhagen (P)
2000 – Jermaine Dye (OF)
2006 – Mark Grudzielanek (2B)
2011 – Alex Gordon (LF)
2012 – Alex Gordon (LF)
2013 – Alex Gordon (LF), Eric Hosmer (1B), Salvador Perez (C)
2014 – Alex Gordon (LF), Eric Hosmer (1B), Salvador Perez (C)
2015 – Alcides Escobar (SS), Eric Hosmer (1B), Salvador Perez (C)
2016 – Salvador Perez (C)
2017 – Alex Gordon (LF), Eric Hosmer (1B)
2018 – Alex Gordon (LF), Salvador Perez (C)
Each manager and up to six coaches on his staff vote from a pool of qualified players in their League and cannot vote for players on their own team. In 2013, Rawlings added a sabermetric component to the Rawlings Gold Glove Award selection process, as part of its new collaboration with the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). The SABR Defensive Index comprises approximately 25 percent of the overall selection total, while the managers’ and coaches’ vote continues to carry the majority.