Mariners rookie first baseman Evan White, shortstop J.P. Crawford win Gold Glove awards
Mariners rookie first baseman Evan White and shortstop J.P. Crawford are now Gold Glove winners.
Both first-time finalists, the two Seattle infielders were announced as American League honorees Tuesday evening on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight.
The last time two Mariners won baseball’s top defensive award in the same year was 2010, when outfielders Ichiro Suzuki and Franklin Gutierrez were recognized. White and Crawford are the first infield duo to win for Seattle since first baseman John Olerud and second baseman Bret Boone in 2003.
White’s elite defensive ability made him an anchor in Seattle’s infield in his first season in the majors.
The 24-year-old, who beat out two AL West rivals in Houston’s Yuli Gurriel and Oakland’s Matt Olson, is the first rookie first baseman to ever win the award since its creation in 1957.
“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 appeared in 54 of the Mariners’ 60 games this season, and led all AL first basemen in defensive runs saved (seven), scoops (seven) and out of zone plays (11).
He was one of six first basemen to record only one error this season, and one of three from the AL, joining Gurriel and Olson.
White 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.
He also ranked second among AL first basemen with a 2.2 Ultimate Zone Rating, per FanGraphs, trailing only Olson (2.5).
“He’s one of the best first basemen I’ve ever had,” Crawford said Tuesday during a video call with reporters. “He makes everything so much easier for me, for my teammates. We have a shot at a play if you just get the ball over in the vicinity in him. So, it makes us make better plays. We could throw the ball over there. We don’t have to think about aiming it, you just throw the ball over there.
“Big props, big shout out to Evan. He got one, too. He definitely deserves it. He puts in the work. He puts in work every day just like all of us and I’m happy for him.”
White becomes the second Mariners rookie to win a Gold Glove after Ichiro won his first in 2001. White is the 11th rookie to ever win a Gold Glove.
He is the second Mariners first baseman to ever be honored, joining Olerud, who won in 2000, 2002 and 2003.
“It was definitely awesome,” White said Tuesday on a video call with reporters. “Definitely a dream come true and something I take a lot of pride in. So to be able to see that rewarded is was really special.
“Also seeing J.P. and all the work he’s put in, to see him get rewarded the way he did by winning as well was incredible and really cool for us to be able to share our first one together.”
Crawford made significant defensive strides in his first two seasons with Seattle, winning his first Gold Glove ahead of Houston’s Carlos Correa and Detroit’s Niko Goodrum.
“It’s such a relief, just to finally see all those hours of work finally pay off, just to know that I’m heading in the right direction and I’ve got a shot to be right there with the top of all the shortstops in the league,” Crawford said. “But, the work doesn’t stop here. I’ve got to continue to get better and just keep doing what I’m doing to get ready for next year.”
Crawford has worked extensively with infielder’s coach Perry Hill the past two seasons since joining the Mariners, has become a leader in the infield, and has produced several highlight reel plays while also consistently making the routine plays.
“I think this year was about making a statement that I’m here, and I’m here to stay type of attitude,” Crawford said. “The year before I was just trying to show everyone what I got, but everyone this year knew what I had, and I had to make that step forward and I’m happy with my results and just thank God that all of the hours I put in finally paid off.”
The 25-year-old finished the 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.”
The Mariners have collectively made defensive strides across the past two seasons. After finishing the 2019 season ranked last in baseball in fielding percentage (.978) with 132 errors in 162 games, Seattle ended 2020 ranked third (.989) behind only the Astros (.991) and Twins (.990) with 23 errors across their 60 games.
With White and Crawford both winning Gold Glove awards this year, three of the Mariners’ four presumptive starting infielders in 2021 have won the award. Veteran third baseman Kyle Seager won in 2014.
“We’re definitely headed in the right direction, and if everyone just keeps taking that step forward, we’re going to be scary,” Crawford said.
This story was originally published November 3, 2020 at 5:13 PM.
