Get ready for some serious baseball talk! Taylor Walls, the Rays' star infielder, is making waves in the 2025 Rawlings Gold Glove Awards race.
Walls has been named a finalist for the prestigious Gold Glove, an honor given to the best defensive players in the game. He's up against some tough competition, including Corey Seager from Texas and Bobby Witt Jr. from Kansas City. But here's the twist: Walls has achieved this feat despite appearing in only 101 games! His defensive prowess is undeniable.
Walls' defensive metrics are truly impressive. He saved 18 runs defensively, which is an incredible feat considering the limited number of games he played. In fact, his 18 defensive runs saved put him third among all major league infielders, and he tied for sixth among all fielders! Imagine, his impact was greater than 14 entire MLB teams' defensive efforts for the entire season. And get this, he achieved this while playing 54 fewer games than Mookie Betts, who tied with him for the most defensive runs saved at shortstop.
But it's not just about the numbers. Walls' fielding percentage of .986 is a testament to his consistency and skill. He committed only five errors in over 360 chances, an impressive feat that puts him third in franchise history for shortstops. His error rate is incredibly low, with just one error in his first 67 games and two in his first 83 games. Talk about precision!
This isn't Walls' first time in the Gold Glove spotlight. He was a finalist as a utility player in 2023, and since his major league debut in 2021, he's saved an incredible 52 defensive runs as a shortstop. That's the most in all of baseball! He's outperformed players like Miguel Rojas, Dansby Swanson, and Jeremy Peña, and he's done it all while ranking 31st in innings played at his position.
Walls is on the cusp of making history. If he wins, he'll be the first Rays middle infielder to take home the Gold Glove. The Rays have had their fair share of winners at other positions, including Kevin Kiermaier, Evan Longoria, Jeremy Hellickson, Carl Crawford, and Carlos Peña. But a Gold Glove for Walls would be a first for the club's middle infielders.
The Rawlings Gold Glove Awards have been a staple in baseball since 1957, recognizing the best defensive players in the American and National Leagues. Winners are chosen through a combination of manager and coach voting and advanced sabermetric statistics. The announcement is set for Sunday, November 2nd, at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN's "Baseball Tonight." Will Walls bring home the hardware? We'll have to tune in to find out!
And this is the part most people miss: the impact of defensive excellence. While offensive stats often grab the headlines, it's the defensive players like Walls who can truly change the game. Their contributions are invaluable, and the Gold Glove Awards are a chance to celebrate these unsung heroes. So, who do you think will take home the Gold Glove at shortstop this year? Let's discuss in the comments and share our predictions!
