Pete Crow-Armstrong and Cody Bellinger win 2026 Platinum Gloves

Pete Crow-Armstrong and Cody Bellinger Capture 2026 Platinum Gloves

Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger secured the top defensive honors in Major League Baseball on Friday, claiming the 2026 Platinum Glove Awards, MLB Trade Rumors reported. The Friday night announcement in New York City capped off the Gold Glove Award Ceremony, according to Bleacher Report, adding the sport’s premier defensive accolades to both outfielders’ resumes after they earned standard Gold Gloves the previous Sunday.

Crow-Armstrong claimed the National League honor in his first career win, marking a historic milestone for the franchise. Bleacher Report noted that the 24-year-old is the first NL center fielder to win a Platinum Glove since the award’s inception in 2011, and only the second Cubs player to take home the prize following Anthony Rizzo in 2011. Additionally, theScore noted that Crow-Armstrong represents the first center fielder across either league to capture the accolade since Byron Buxton of Minnesota did so in 2017.

Defensive Metrics Highlight Dominant Outfield Seasons

The voting combination of fan ballots and Society for American Baseball Research defensive analytics rewarded two distinct statistical profiles. Bleacher Report stated that Crow-Armstrong led MLB with 26 outs above average and 23 runs prevented, while tying for seventh with 16 defensive runs saved according to Baseball Savant and Fielding Bible. In addition, metrics highlighted by theScore showed that Crow-Armstrong ranked in the 100th percentile for outfield range, the 93rd percentile for arm value, and the 90th percentile for arm strength.

In the American League, Bellinger collected his first Platinum Glove after anchoring the Yankees’ outfield. Bleacher Report recorded that Bellinger tallied six outs above average, prevented six runs, and recorded 20 defensive runs saved. TheScore presented a slightly different tracking figure for the New York outfielder, noting he totaled 21 defensive runs saved—easily the most among AL left fielders—along with eight outfield assists and six outs above average while placing above the 91st percentile in range and arm strength. Bellinger joins catcher Jose Trevino, a 2022 winner, as the second Yankees player to earn the AL honor, per Bleacher Report.

Blue Jays and Cubs Lead Defensive Units in Team Awards

Rawlings also recognized the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago Cubs as the top overall defensive clubs in their respective leagues, handing out the team Gold Gloves. MLB Trade Rumors outlined the Cubs’ remarkable defensive dominance, noting the club led the majors with 72 Outs Above Average and 115 Defensive Runs Saved. The Diamondbacks finished second in OAA with 44, while the Rays placed second in DRS with 87.

Toronto claimed the American League team award despite not featuring an individual Gold Glove winner, according to theScore. The Blue Jays posted 15 Outs Above Average and 51 Defensive Runs Saved, finishing 11th and sixth in the majors respectively in those categories according to MLB Trade Rumors, while theScore noted Toronto’s 51 runs saved were the third-most in the Junior Circuit. Since Rawlings introduced the team Gold Glove in 2020, the Cubs and Blue Jays have each won the award three times.

Questions About the 2026 Defensive Honors

How are Platinum Glove winners selected?

Winners are chosen from the pool of Gold Glove Award recipients through a combination of fan voting and Society for American Baseball Research defensive analytics.

What other awards is Pete Crow-Armstrong contending for?

The Cubs center fielder already captured a Gold Glove and a Fielding Bible Award for best defensive player of 2026, and he is widely expected to contend for NL MVP honors on November 12, according to MLB Trade Rumors and Bleacher Report.

Which other players were mentioned by fans as potential candidates?

According to Bleacher Report, a number of supporters voiced opinions that additional Gold Glove recipients—such as Boston Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela—ought to have been in the running for the Platinum prize.

More on this story: MLB Announces 2026 Rawlings Gold Glove Award Winners