Taylor Walls (Tampa Bay Rays)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Tampa Bay Rays infielder Taylor Walls has earned a prestigious spot as one of the three American League finalists for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award at shortstop. Walls joins the Texas Rangers’ Corey Seager and the Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. as the top contenders for the honor.
Walls’ nomination is particularly noteworthy because of his exceptional efficiency. Despite appearing in only 101 games, his 18 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) ranked third among all major league infielders and tied for sixth among all fielders.
Walls was a defensive force at his position, recording 17 DRS at shortstop, which tied him for the most in the majors with the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts, despite playing 54 fewer games.
He finished the season with an impressive .986 fielding percentage, committing only five errors in 364 total chances. This is Walls’ second consecutive Gold Glove nomination; he was previously a finalist as a utility player in 2023.
Since 2021, Walls’ 52 DRS as a shortstop is the most in baseball, a testament to his consistent, elite defense. He is attempting to become the first Rays middle infielder to win the award.
The winners will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 2.
READ: New Rays Ownership Vows Winning Culture, Ballpark By 2029
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