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Run prevention has been the mantra for the Chicago Cubs over the last two seasons, as the team has made defense a priority when constructing its Major League roster.
Between Cody Bellinger and Ian Happ in the outfield, as well as Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner in the infield, the Cubs have been no strangers to Gold Glove awards. That familiarity continued in 2024 and was confirmed on Tuesday when Rawlings revealed their National League Gold Glove award finalists.
Congratulations to our 2024 Gold Glove Award finalists, Dansby Swanson and Ian Happ! 👏 pic.twitter.com/TkAa98Z8qo
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 15, 2024
Truth be told, Rawlings' selections of not only the Gold Glove award winners but finalists has become soemwhat of a popularity contest. There is no greater example of that than Ian Happ.
Happ is the reigning National League Gold Glove Award winner for left fielders, as he took home the award in both 2022 and 2023. Given that Happ is now a two-time winner, short of injury, he likely will remain a candidate for the seasons ahead. For Happ, his calling card remains outfield assists. Happ recorded 11 outfield assists last season, tying Bryan Reynolds of the Pittsburgh Pirates for the most among National League outfielders.
Meanwhile, Swanson, for all the talk of his 2024 season being a disappointment, continues to thrive at the main reason why he was signed by the Cubs: defense. Swanson's five errors last season were the fewest among qualified National League shortstops.
Nico Hoerner snubbed from National League Gold Glove Award finalists
There has been an uproar among Cubs fans that Nico Hoerner was snubbed from being a finalist and that speaks to laziness that Rawlings has when making their determinations. The finalists among National League second basemen are Ketel Marte of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Bryson Stott of the Philadelphia Phillies, and Brice Turang of the Milwaukee Brewers. All three made fewer errors than Hoerner last season but when looking at the Cubs' second baseman's defensive rating by FanGraphs, 9.3, he had the highest mark among qualified National League second basemen.