The 2023 Cleveland Guardians had two American League Gold Glove Award winners in second baseman Andrés Giménez and left fielder Steven Kwan.
With these awards, Giménez and Kwan were recognized as the American League’s best defensive players at their respective positions.
However, one of these two has received further recognition as the best overall defensive player in the American League.
Late Friday night, the 25-year-old Giménez was announced as the winner of the 2023 American League Platinum Glove Award.
He is the first second baseman in MLB history to win a Platinum Glove Award.
Giménez also becomes just the second Cleveland player to win the AL Platinum Glove Award since the inception of MLB’s Rawlings Platinum Glove Awards in 2011 . Former Cleveland shortstop Francisco Lindor also won the award in 2016.
According to FanGraphs, Giménez led all MLB players in assists (401), and all AL players in total defensive runs saved (23), outs above average (18), and runs above average (15) this season.
He also ranked second among MLB second basemen in putouts (259), and second among AL second basemen in innings played (1,308.0).
This AL Platinum Glove Award is yet another defensive accolade for Giménez this season, as he also received his first career Fielding Bible Award last month.
The second baseman has become one of MLB’s premier defensive players over the past two seasons, as he also won an AL Gold Glove Award last year.
Joining Giménez as a 2023 Rawlings Platinum Glove Award winner is San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatís Jr., who won the National League Platinum Glove Award.
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