Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Luis Robert Jr. Named 2023 Gold Glove Finalist

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Besnik Zekiri | Last updated 10/18/23

Major League Baseball award season begins with announcements of Gold Glove finalists. Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. is among the three American League finalists at the position. Robert Jr. had a breakout year for Chicago after finally (mostly) avoiding the injury bug for the first time in his career. The Cuban sensation took home the award as a rookie in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

The White Sox experienced a tumultuous season riddled with injuries and vast underperformance across their roster. The lone exception in 2023 was the All-Star outfielder outfielder. Robert Jr. appeared in 145 games for the Pale Hose, by far a career-high, and finally showcased his elite talent. He slashed .264/.315/.542 with 38 homers, 80 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases.

Stiff Competition

While providing big production at the plate, Robert Jr. was also an elite fielder. He regularly made difficult plays look routine while sprawling out for highlight-reel catches and home run robberies.

Robert Jr. posted a +13 OAA and prevented 11 runs. While those numbers put him among the game's best, he has some tough competition for the award.

The other two nominees, Kevin Kiermaier and Julio Rodriguez, performed almost equally as well. Kiermaier prevented 12 runs and had an OAA of +13. Not to be outdone, Rodriguez posted a +12 OAA and prevented 11 runs. Only Brenton Doyle of the Colorado Rockies bested the three AL finalists in those two categories.

What's On Tap Next?

The three candidates deserve the honor, with Kiermaier holding a very slight advantage in the numbers. Hopefully, Robert Jr. can edge out his competition and provide another highlight in what was an otherwise miserable baseball season on the South Side. The winners will be announced on ESPN's Baseball Tonight program on Sunday, Nov. 5 at 6:30 PM CT.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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