Defensive Dominance: Braves duo takes Gold Gloves

Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson and utilityman Mauricio Dubón stood on the field in Atlanta on Sunday night to accept Rawlings Gold Glove Awards. The ceremony recognized the two players as the National League’s top defenders for the 2026 season. They were joined by their teammates who had also been finalists, including left-hander Chris Sale and center fielder Michael Harris II. Sale lost the pitching award to New York Mets right-hander Nolan McLean, while Harris II was edged out by Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.

This marks the first time since 2022 that two Braves have won the award in the same year. Pitcher Max Fried and shortstop Dansby Swanson were the last pair to achieve this feat. The franchise has accumulated 12 Gold Gloves over the past nine seasons, with wins recorded in seven of those years. The awards extend a long stretch of defensive excellence for the team.

The voting process for these honors is a combination of human judgment and statistical analysis. Managers and up to six coaches from each team cast ballots that account for 75 percent of the total vote. These field personnel are not allowed to select their own players. The remaining 25 percent is determined by the SABR Defensive Index, a formula that evaluates range, arm strength, and fielding reliability. A separate calculation using this index decides the utility winner.

Olson, 32, secured his fourth Gold Glove of his career. He outvoted San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France and Colorado Rockies player T.J. Rumfield. He now joins Christian Walker and Paul Goldschmidt as the only active first basemen with four such awards. Olson played in all 162 games this season, leading all major league first basemen in innings played. He also paced the league with 12 Outs Above Average and 12 overall fielding run value.

Dubón, also 32, earned his third Gold Glove for his versatility. He made 75 starts in left field, 51 at shortstop, 14 in center field, five at third base, and four at second base. This is the first time an Atlanta player has won the utility Gold Glove since the category began in 2022. Dubón has won the award three times in five years, including two with the Houston Astros in the American League. He is the only player to win the utility honor multiple times in major league history.

The full list of 2026 winners includes Gabriel Moreno of the Diamondbacks at catcher, Brice Turang of the Brewers at second base, and Alex Bregman of the Cubs at third base. The utility award in the American League went to Ezequiel Duran of the Texas Rangers. The National League pitcher award went to McLean, while the American League pitcher award went to Cleveland Guardians left-hander Tanner Bibee.

The Braves will continue their season with the knowledge that their defensive unit remains a top contender in the National League. The awards ceremony concluded the individual recognition portion of the season, setting the stage for the upcoming offseason. The team will now focus on roster construction and the next phase of their baseball operations.