One of the most reliable players in baseball, Freddie Freeman, is one of three Los Angeles Dodgers selected as a finalist for the 2023 Gold Glove Award

In 2018, Freeman split the Gold Glove trophy with Anthony Rizzo while he was a member of the Atlanta Braves. In the history of the Gold Glove Award voting, it was only the fourth tie.

Freeman, who is 33 years old this season, doesn’t rank very highly in cumulative defensive measures. Since many variables contribute to effective defence, advanced metrics for defensive play are generally less precise.

Freeman concluded his 2023 season in the 84th percentile for outs above average (OAA) and with a 3.3 ultimate zone rating per 150 innings (UZR/150) among qualifying first basemen.

His -9 defensive runs saved (DRS), which was the lowest among qualifiers at the position, is the most unexpected statistic. Because of his long body and knack for making tough throws, Freeman seems to outperform that negative score, which is why statcast tracking has fewer gaps in non-statcast measurements.

A pool of players in their league, excluding players from their own team, is voted on by the 30 MLB managers and up to six coaches from each club to select the victors. The SABR Defensive Index counts for the remaining 25% of the selection total, with these votes making up 75% of the total.

On Sunday, November 5, at 4:30 p.m. PT, ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight” will reveal the Gold Glove Award winners.

Comparing Freddie Freeman
Freeman will face off against 2022 Rawlings Gold Glove winner Christian Walker (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Carlos Santana (Pittsburgh Pirates and Milwaukee Brewers).

Santana finished ahead of Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves with eight DRS and Walker with eleven DRS. Despite never having received a Gold Gove Award, the 37-year-old made a compelling case for himself by finishing in the 77th percentile in OAA.

Santana’s -1.2 UZR/150 placed him in the lower half of the qualifiers, yet the Brewers significantly depended on his defence. In 1152.2 innings, he made the fewest mistakes at the position despite playing the fewest innings.

Walker’s season was outstanding on defence once again. With 1309.1, the 32-year-old trailed Freeman in innings pitched while making just two mistakes.

With 12 OAA, he topped all first basemen and was in the 97th percentile. His only loss was to Freeman in UZR/150, where he finished with 2.6, putting him in the lead for consecutive Gold Glove finishes.

Is first baseman Freddie Freeman deserving of an NL Gold Glove?
To his credit, Freeman only made one mistake out of 1,260 opportunities, making him one of the most dependable players in the MLB when it comes to fielding his position. Walker, however, held his own and is the obvious winner of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for 2023 in terms of OAA, UZR/150, and DRS. He is also by far the most stable.

Walker surpasses Freeman and Santana in the weighty stats that matter the most since the field is less congested and ridiculed than left field.