Brendan Rodgers wins National League Gold Glove Award

Brendan Rodgers needs to make room for his first piece of hardware as a big leaguer.

Rodgers was selected as the Rawlings National League Gold Glove Award winner at second base on Tuesday, the first of his career.

Defensive metrics loved what Rodgers was able to do in his first full-season since debuting with Colorado in 2019. His 22 defensive runs saved were more than any second baseman in 2022 and most at the position since 2012 when Darwin Barney of the Chicago Cubs had 28. 

His 3.0 dWAR (defensive wins-above-replacement, according to Baseball Reference) was tied with 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes for most in MLB this season and third-most in Rockies’ history behind only Clint Barmes (3.2 in 2006) and Troy Tulowitzki (3.9 in 2007).

The 26-year-old led all second baseman with 99 double plays, 411 assists, 3.17 assists-per-nine innings and 19 diving plays.

St. Louis Cardinals’ Tommy Edman and San Diego Padres’ Jake Cronenworth were runner-ups at second base this year. 

Rodgers is the eighth Rockie to ever win the award for defensive excellence and first second baseman to win since DJ LeMahieu in 2018.

This award is the first for Colorado since Nolan Arenado won for his eighth-consecutive season in 2020. 

Other 2022 Gold Glove Award winners include LeMahieu in the America League inaugural award for Utility Player. It’s the fourth Gold Glove of his career (also 2014, 2017-18).

Arenado won his 10th-consecutive on Tuesday, tying Ichiro Suzuki for most to start a career. He’s now tied with Mike Schmidt for second-most at the position behind only Brooks Robinson and his 16 Gold Glove Awards.

Pirates’ Hayes and Ryan McMahon, who has now been selected as a finalist two years in a row, were runner-ups at the hot corner. 

Fan voting for the Platinum Glove Award, honoring the best defender in each league, is live on Rawlings. Voting will remain open through Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 9:59 p.m. MST and winners will be announced Friday, Nov. 11 at the Rawlings Gold Glove Award Ceremony at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.