Kevin Kiermaier, Randy Arozarena, and Joey Wendle are 2021 Gold Glove award finalists

The American League’s leader in wins places three finalists for baseball’s top award for defense.

The Tampa Bay Rays have three finalists for this year’s Gold Glove awards: OF Kevin Kiermaier and Randy Arozarena, and INF Joey Wendle.

Kevin Kiermaier is no stranger to the award, having won three times previously including the overall top award of a Platinum Glove once. He ranked ninth in all of baseball in Defensive Runs Saved (13), and in the top three for the American League in center field with 12 Outs Above Average.

Joey Wendle totaled 10 DRS this season across three infield positions, and was an All-Star in 2021 following a terrific performance at third base in the 2020 World Series. His competition for the award will be at third base against Oakland 3B Matt Chapman and Cleveland 3B Jose Ramirez, although it’s worth noting that Wendle’s strongest performances this season may have been at shortstop.

Randy Arozarena, the likely 2021 Rookie of the Year for all of baseball, also had quite the coming out party during the team’s 2020 postseason run. Although he finished the 2021 season in right field following the team’s defensive accomodations for Nelson Cruz, he is nominated for left field. His competition for the award will be Toronto OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Kansas City OF Andrew Benintendi.

If you’re looking for a snub: one clear contender not a finalist for the award this year was Manuel Margot, who led all outfielders in “Outs Above Average” in 2021 with 17.