Josh Donaldson, Lorenzo Cain not among Gold Glove finalists - MLB

Rawlings unveiled this year’s Gold Glove finalists on Wednesday, and there were some surprising omissions, especially in the American League. Let’s start there. 2014 winners are asterisked.

American League

Pitcher
Mark Buehrle – Toronto
Sonny Gray – Oakland
Dallas Keuchel – Houston*

Catcher
Jason Castro – Houston
Russell Martin – Toronto
Salvador Perez – Kansas City*

First Base
Eric Hosmer – Kansas City*
Mike Napoli – Texas
Mark Teixeira – New York

Second Base
Jose Altuve – Houston
Brian Dozier – Minnesota
Ian Kinsler – Detroit

Third Base
Adrian Beltre – Texas
Evan Longoria – Tampa Bay
Manny Machado – Baltimore

Shortstop
Xander Bogaerts – Boston
Alcides Escobar – Kansas City
Didi Gregorius – New York

Left Field
Yoenis Cespedes – Detroit
Brett Gardner – New York
Alex Gordon – Kansas City*

Center Field
Kevin Kiermaier – Tampa Bay
Kevin Pillar – Toronto
Mike Trout – Los Angeles

Right Field
Kole Calhoun – Los Angeles
J.D. Martinez – Detroit
Josh Reddick – Oakland

Not making the cut were Adam Jones and J.J. Hardy, both of whom had won three straight Gold Gloves. Dustin Pedroia also missed out after winning back-to-back years, though that’s because he was limited to 93 games this year.

Still, the most notable omission here would seem to be Lorenzo Cain, who gained so much attention for his defense in the 2014 postseason and seemed well positioned after putting in a full season in center this year (he spent considerable time in right field in 2014). The voters got it right by including Kiermaier and Pillar among the finalists despite their middling bats. It’s Trout’s spot that really should have gone to Cain. That said, even though Cain deserved a place in the top three, Kiermaier seems like the best choice for the actual award.

Josh Donaldson‘s omission at third is also odd, particularly in light of his huge offensive numbers (like it or not, offense is usually a key component in getting noticed for Gold Gloves). The metrics say Donaldson ranks among the league’s top third basemen, too, and that he should have gotten Longoria’s spot. Donaldson, though, has always been more error-prone than most, and some are holding it against him.

Also unfortunately absent is Indians rookie shortstop Francisco Lindor, who was the AL’s best defensive shortstop from the moment he was called up this year. Unfortunately, that callup came a few days too late, and he was ineligible for the award because he didn’t play in enough games prior to the beginning September. That’s the case even though he ended up finishing the season with more innings at shortstop (865 1/3) than left field finalist Alex Gordon did in the outfield (864 2/3).

National League

Pitcher
Jake Arrieta – Chicago
Gerrit Cole – Pittsburgh
Zack Greinke – Los Angeles*

Catcher
Yadier Molina – St Louis*
Buster Posey – San Francisco
Wilson Ramos – Washington

First Base
Brandon Belt – San Francisco
Paul Goldschmidt – Arizona
Adrian Gonzalez – Los Angeles*

Second Base
Dee Gordon – Miami
DJ LeMahieu – Colorado*
Brandon Phillips – Cincinnati

Third Base
Nolan Arenado – Colorado*
Matt Duffy – San Francisco
Todd Frazier – Cincinnati

Shortstop
Brandon Crawford – San Francisco
Adeiny Hechavarria – Miami
Andrelton Simmons – Atlanta*

Left Field
Starling Marte – Pittsburgh
Justin Upton – San Diego
Christian Yelich – Miami*

Center Field
Billy Hamilton – Cincinnati
Andrew McCutchen – Pittsburgh
A.J. Pollock – Arizona

Right Field
Curtis Granderson – New York
Bryce Harper – Washington
Jason Heyward – St. Louis*

The NL was much lighter on controversial picks, and one can expect a bunch of repeat winners here. The only certain exception is in center field, where Juan Lagares wasn’t a finalist after being limited by injuries this year. Hamilton or Pollock should get the nod there. I imagine we’ll also see a change from Yelich to Marte in left field and possibly from Gonzalez to Goldschmidt (the 2013 winner) at first base.

The award winners are set to be announced on Nov. 10.

ATLANTA – Given a seven-run lead in the first inning, Atlanta right-hander Spencer Strider could relax and keep adding to his majors-leading strikeout total.

“That game felt like it was over pretty quick,” Strider said.

Ronald Acuña Jr. drove in three runs with four hits, including a two-run single in Atlanta’s seven-run first inning, and the Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 11-4 on Sunday night to split the four-game series.

“Getting a lead first is big, especially when you get that big of a lead,” Strider said. “… When we’re putting up runs, my job isn’t to be perfect. My job is to get outs.”

Following the game, Braves manager Brian Snitker announced right-hander Michael Soroka will be recalled to make his first start since the 2020 season on Monday night at Oakland.

Matt Olson hit a pair of two-run homers for Atlanta, and Strider became the fastest pitcher in modern history to reach 100 strikeouts in a season.

“It’s incredible,” said Acuña through a translator of Strider. “Every time he goes out to pitch it seems like he’s going to strike everybody out.”

Acuña hit a run-scoring triple in the fifth before Olson’s second homer to center. Acuña had two singles in the first when the Braves sent 11 batters to the plate, collected seven hits and opened a 7-0 lead. Led by Acuña and Olson, who had three hits, the Braves set a season high with 20 hits.

Strider (5-2) struck out nine while pitching six innings of two-run ball. The right-hander fired a called third strike past Nick Castellanos for the first out of the fourth, giving him 100 strikeouts in 61 innings and topping Jacob deGrom‘s 61 2/3 innings in 2021 as the fastest to 100 in the modern era.

“It’s cool,” Strider said, adding “hopefully it’ll keep going.”

Olson followed Acuña’s leadoff single with a 464-foot homer to right-center. Austin Riley added another homer before Ozzie Albies and Acuña had two-run singles in the long first inning.

Phillies shortstop Trea Turner and left fielder Kyle Schwarber each committed an error on a grounder by Orlando Arcia, setting up two unearned runs in the inning.

Strider walked Kody Clemens to open the third. Brandon Marsh followed with a two-run homer for the Phillies’ first hit. Schwarber hit a two-run homer off Collin McHugh in the seventh.

LEAPING CATCH

Michael Harris II celebrated the one-year anniversary of his major league debut by robbing Schwarber of a homer with a leaping catch at the center-field wall in the second. As Harris shook his head to say “No!” after coming down with the ball on the warning track, Strider pumped his fist in approval on the mound – after realizing Harris had the ball.

“He put me through an emotional roller coaster for a moment,” Strider said.

SOROKA RETURNING TO ROTATION

Soroka was scratched from his scheduled start at Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday, setting the stage for his final step in his comeback from two torn Achilles tendons.

“To get back is really a feather in that kid’s cap,” Snitker said.

Soroka will be making his first start in the majors since Aug. 3, 2020, against the New York Mets when he suffered a torn right Achilles tendon. Following a setback which required a follow-up surgery, he suffered another tear of the same Achilles tendon midway through the 2021 season.

Soroka suffered another complication in his comeback when a hamstring injury slowed his progress this spring.

Acuña said he was “super happy, super excited for him, super proud of him” and added “I’m just hoping for continued good health.”

Soroka looked like an emerging ace when he finished 13-4 with a 2.68 ERA in 2019 and placed second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting and sixth in the NL Cy Young voting.

The Braves are 0-3 in bullpen committee games as they attempt to overcome losing two key starters, Max Fried (strained left forearm) and Kyle Wright (right shoulder inflammation) to the injured list in early May. Each is expected to miss at least two months.

RHP Dereck Rodriguez, who gave up one hit in two scoreless innings, was optioned to Gwinnett after the game to clear a roster spot for Soroka.

QUICK EXIT

Phillies right-hander Dylan Covey (0-1), claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 20, didn’t make it through the first inning. Covey allowed seven runs, five earned, and six hits, including the homers by Olson and Riley.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Phillies: 3B Alex Bohm was held out with hamstring tightness. … LHP José Alvarado (left elbow inflammation) threw the bullpen session originally scheduled for Saturday. Manager Rob Thomson said there was no report that Alvarado, who was placed on the injured list on May 10, had any difficulty.

UP NEXT

Phillies: Following an off day, LHP Ranger Suárez (0-1, 9.82 ERA) is scheduled to face Mets RHP Kodai Senga (4-3, 3.94 ERA) in Tuesday night’s opener of a three-game series in New York.

Braves: Soroka was 1-2 with a 4.33 ERA in eight games with Triple-A Gwinnett. He allowed a combined four hits and two runs over 10 2/3 innings in his last two starts. RHP Paul Blackburn (7-6, 4.28 ERA in 2022) is scheduled to make his 2023 debut for Oakland as he returns from a finger injury.