Four Braves named Gold Glove Finalists

The Braves have had plenty of problem areas over the last several seasons, but defense has never been one of them.

Michael Harris II leads the way and is one of the best defensive players in all of baseball. Unfortunately, he plays a position stacked with elite gloves — none better than soon-to-be NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong, who’s going to win the award again this season. I do believe there will come a year we see Harris win a Gold Glove. He’s that special defensively; it would just be a lot easier if he played a different outfield spot.

The other three candidates all have strong cases to take home some hardware. Matt Olson is the best defensive first baseman in the game. He already has three Gold Gloves, and a fourth should be coming in the very near future.

Mauricio Dubon feels like a strong bet to win the utility award too. This is a guy who was unbelievable at shortstop — the toughest position on the field — and just as reliable when asked to play the outfield, which was on full display when he robbed Freddie Freeman of a home run in the NLDS with the series tied 1-1. Among players who move all over the diamond, he’s one of the best defenders these two eyes have ever seen. If Dubon wins, it’ll be the third Gold Glove of his career.

For Chris Sale, it would be the second — both with the Braves — as he keeps adding to a Hall of Fame résumé. That’s what makes players like him so special: no detail goes unnoticed. It’s a big reason Sale is pitching the best baseball of his entire career at 37 years old.