Elephant Rumblings: Gold Glove finalists announced

MLB news roundup

Happy Wednesday, Athletics Nation!

This year’s Gold Glove finalists were announced yesterday; the A’s are bereft of candidates, but not surprisingly, some very familiar ex-Athletics are in the mix yet again.

Matt Chapman made the A’s fun to watch again when he debuted in 2017 and demonstrated the potential to become one of the greatest defensive third basemen of all time. Matt Olson joined Chapman at the other corner of the A’s infield to complete one of the hottest fielding tandems in the game. They both won Gold Gloves with the A’s in 2018 and 2019, and they are both finalists for the award this year.

Chapman signed with the Giants last offseason, and this is his first season in the NL. Chappy is up against the most decorated active defender in the league, Nolan Arenado of the Cardinals, as well as Ryan McMahon of the Rockies. Arenado already has 10 Gold Glove Awards, but Chapman leads the field in Defensive Runs Saved by a large margin, so I like his chances at a fifth Gold Glove.

Olson, now playing first for the Braves, hasn’t won a Gold Glove since 2019. His competition this year includes Bryce Harper of the Phillies and Christian Walker of the Diamondbacks. Walker took the honors in 2022 and 2023, and he led the NL first basemen with +13 Outs Above Average in 2024. However, Olson led all MLB first basemen Defensive Runs Saved by a large margin.

Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien never won a Gold Glove playing shortstop with the A’s, but he won one at second base with the Blue Jays in 2021, and is a finalist again this year. Semien’s competition is stiff, as Andrés Giménez of the Guardians, who nabbed a Platinum Glove last year, is also a finalist and looking for his third consecutive Gold Glove Award. Rounding out the list of AL finalists at second base is Nicky Lopez of the White Sox.

The last Athletics to win a Gold Glove are Olson’s teammate, catcher Sean Murphy, and Chapman, who both brought it home for the green and gold in 2021. Murphy hasn’t won one since then, and he is not a finalist this year.

Congratulations and good luck to these amazing ex-Athletics defenders! Wish you were still in Oakland.

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MLB News & Interest:

• Judge rises up for first HR this October to put Yanks in control
• Here are all of this year’s Gold Glove Award finalists
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• Here are the top qualifying offer candidates
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• Dodgers’ Game 2 pitching adventure shows that bullpen games are fraught with peril ($)
• Bryan Price Steps Down As Giants Pitching Coach
• Phillies Extend Manager Rob Thomson Through 2026
• ‘Borderline miracle’: Teammates in awe of Freeman’s sacrifice
• Hobbled Nimmo doing all he can to extend Mets’ run
• Giants focused on scouting expertise, not past GM experience in hunt for Posey lieutenant ($)
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

A’s AFL Bats.

A’s AFL arms.

Soto making postseason history.