Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez has been named a finalist for the prestigious Gold Glove award in a significant milestone for his career. The announcement was made Wednesday morning, highlighting Rodríguez as the sole representative from the Mariners among the finalists.
In an intriguing twist, his teammate Cal Raleigh, who was honored with the 2024 AL Gold Glove and the AL Platinum Glove as the top defender across all positions, has notably been left off the finalist list for the 2025 Gold Glove.
Rodríguez is competing against Kyle Isbel of the Kansas City Royals and Ceddanne Rafaela of the Boston Red Sox for the AL Gold Glove in center field. Over the course of the season, Rodríguez had an impressive performance, starting 158 of 162 games in center field, recording 431 putouts on 441 total opportunities across 1,406.1 innings, alongside six assists, two double plays, and four errors.
In terms of metrics, Rodríguez achieved a fielding run value of 10, placing him tied for second among AL center fielders, while Rafaela led with a remarkable score of 22. Rodríguez also had a range value of 9, ranking third among the finalists, with Rafaela again leading MLB at 20 and Isbel at 11.
For the catching position, the finalists include Alejandro Kirk from the Toronto Blue Jays, Carlos Narváez from the Red Sox, and Dillon Dingler from the Detroit Tigers. Raleigh’s absence is particularly noteworthy; he had an outstanding season without a single passed ball and a fielding run value of 7. To put that in perspective, Kirk scored the highest in this category with a fielding run value of 22.
Raleigh’s strong performance was instrumental in the Mariners’ pitching staff finishing sixth in the American League with a 3.87 ERA. This solid showing puts Seattle in a competitive position as they prepare for crucial playoff games, underscoring the value of excellent defensive play in achieving success.
Looking ahead, both Rodríguez and Raleigh have showcased significant talent and their performances will undoubtedly be critical as the Mariners navigate the challenges of the postseason. Such achievements not only highlight individual excellence but also reflect the Mariners’ growing competitiveness in the American League.