Mariners J.P. Crawford, Evan White named Gold Glove finalists; Kyle Lewis honored by peers
Two Mariners infielders — rookie first baseman Evan White and shortstop J.P. Crawford — have been selected as American League Gold Glove finalists.
Thursday’s announcement marks the first time since 2016 — when third baseman Kyle Seager and then-second baseman Robinson Cano were finalists — that a Seattle infielder has been named a finalist.
Seager is the most recent Mariners infielder to win the award at his respective position in 2014.
Both White and Crawford are first-time finalists for the annual awards sponsored by Rawlings, which names the best defensive player at each position in both the American and National leagues.
White’s elite defensive ability was a source of excitement when the Mariners signed him to an unprecedented extension last November before he had ever played in a big league game, and his flashy glove was on display throughout his first season in the majors.
“You don’t see many first basemen that can do what our guy can do,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said in September. “Evan’s been fantastic all year with the length around the bag, with the stretching, the picking the balls out of the dirt, the range going to catch pop ups, the throwing arm. … He’s got everything you’re looking for in a defensive player, and a ton of confidence on top of it.
“He wants the ball hit to him. He wants to be in the middle of it. And he is. On most nights he’s a big contributor to what we’ve done defensively.”
White, who appeared in 54 of the Mariners’ 60 games, led all AL first basemen in defensive runs saved (seven), scoops (seven) and out of zone plays (11).
The 24-year-old was one of six first basemen to record only one error this season, and one of three from the AL, joining Houston’s Yuli Gurriel and Oakland’s Matt Olson. He posted a .998 fielding percentage, and ended the season with 49 consecutive games without making an error, converting each of his 363 chances during that span.
White also ranked second among AL first basemen with a 2.2 Ultimate Zone Rating, per FanGraphs, trailing only Olson (2.5).
White is one of three finalists for the award, alongside Gurriel and Olson.
Jon Olerud, who won three Gold Gloves with the Mariners in 2000, 2002 and 2003 is the only Seattle first baseman who has won the award.
Crawford, in his second season with the Mariners, made defensive strides, and is a finalist alongside Houston’s Carlos Correa and Detroit’s Niko Goodrum.
The 25-year-old finished the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season leading all AL shortstops with 62 out of zone plays.
His 4.9 defensive runs above average ranked second, behind Cleveland’s Francisco Lindor (8.4), and his six defensive runs saved also ranked second, trailing only Correa (eight). His 2.5 UZR also ranked second, behind Lindor (5.8).
“We’ve seen him make a ton of highlight reel type plays, but it’s the consistency,” Servais said of Crawford’s defensive growth in September. “It’s the way he’s just gotten better in his work before the games, and I don’t think he gets enough credit for the type of arm that he has. He can really throw. The range is there. His first step, his angles to ground balls, his reading the ball off the bat and knowing the speed of the runner — all those things. He’s checking all the boxes.
“And I think he’s going to win a Gold Glove in this league. I really do. I say all that, and there’s still plenty of room for growth in his game.”
Omar Vizquel, who won a Gold Glove with Seattle in 1993, is the only Mariners shortstop who has won the award.
Gold Glove recipients will be announced Nov. 3 on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight.
LEWIS RECOGNIZED BY PLAYERS
Mariners rookie center fielder Kyle Lewis was named the AL Outstanding Rookie as part of the 2020 Players Choice Awards, the Major League Baseball Players Association announced Thursday on Twitter.
The 25-year-old former first-round pick by the Mariners finished his first full season in the majors hitting .262/.364/.437 with three doubles, 11 homers, 28 RBI, five stolen bases and 34 walks to 71 strikeouts in 58 games played.
He led all rookies in runs scored (37) and walks (34) and tied for the rookie league in homers with White Sox outfielder Luis Robert.
“Man it’s a huge honor for me,” Lewis said in a video announcing the award. “To be voted for an award by your peers is extra special. The difficulties of being a rookie, being a young player on a team, trying to learn and acclimate yourself with teammates, people on the other teams., I promise to keep working, keep getting better, keep advancing.
“This is only the beginning. But, I just want to say I appreciate you guys and I’m extremely honored for this award.”
Several players from around baseball are also featured in the video speaking about Lewis’ impressive rookie season.
“I met Kyle when he was drafted,” said former Mariner Nelson Cruz, who is now with the Twins. “I was with the Mariners. I think he’s the type of LeBron James player, you know. He can do everything.”
“Kyle Lewis, from watching from afar, seems like a guy with all the tools in the world,” Cleveland pitcher Shane Bieber said.
Reds pitcher Trevor Bauer recalled the loud homer Lewis hit off him — it was Lewis’ first career hit — during Lewis’ September promotion in 2019.
“I faced Kyle at the end of last year, where he hit a ball about 450 feet off me in Seattle, which is impressive in its own right, and not a whole lot of people have that kind of power,” Bauer said.
Lewis finished ahead of Robert and Cleveland pitcher James Karinchak in the balloting.
ROSTER MOVES
The Mariners made several roster moves this week to clear up their 40-man roster before the end of the World Series, leaving it at 33 players as of Thursday.
Here are the eight moves Seattle made:
▪ Catcher Joseph Odom, who made his big league debut with the Mariners in July, has been outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma. The 28-year-old was 5-for-39 in 18 games with Seattle.
▪ Right-hander Seth Frankoff, who was signed to a minor league contract in August, has been outrighted to Tacoma. The 32-year-old appeared in relief twice for the Mariners, allowing five earned runs and walking two batters in 2 2/3 innings.
▪ Right-hander Matt Magill, who had shoulder surgery in September, was outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma and has elected free agency. The 30-year-old was one of the Mariners’ most reliable relievers after joining the club in 2019 in a trade with the Twins, but dealt with shoulder issues in spring training, and was ultimately placed on the injured list in August. He didn’t allow a run in his first eight relief appearances with the Mariners this season, but finished with a 6.10 ERA across 10 1/3 innings in 11 games.
▪ Right-hander Carl Edwards Jr., who spent much of his only season with Seattle on the IL, was outrighted to Tacoma and elected free agency. The 29-year-old made five relief appearances with the Mariners, posting a 1.93 ERA in 4 2/3 innings. He was placed on the IL with a forearm strain on Aug. 10.
▪ Left-hander Nestor Cortes, who also spent much of the season on the IL with a left elbow impingement, was outrighted to Tacoma and elected free agency. He made four relief appearances and one start for the Mariners in 2020, finishing with a 15.26 ERA across 7 2/3 innings. He was placed on the IL on Aug. 15.
▪ Right-hander Brady Lail, who Seattle claimed off waivers from the White Sox in August, was outrighted to Tacoma and has elected free agency. The 27-year-old made seven relief appearances with the Mariners, posting a 4.80 ERA with seven walks and 11 strikeouts across 15 innings.
▪ Catcher Joe Hudson, who signed a minor league contract with Seattle in January, was outrighted to Tacoma and has elected free agency. The 29-year-old appeared in nine games with the Mariners in his one season with the club.
▪ Right-hander Art Warren, who debuted with the Mariners in 2019, but did not appear in a game in 2020, was claimed off waivers by the Rangers. The 27-year-old tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts and two walks in his debut month with the Mariners last September. He spent the summer at the club’s alternate training site in Tacoma. He was a 23rd-round pick by Seattle in 2015.
This story was originally published October 22, 2020 at 3:54 PM.
