The finalists for the 2026 Gold Glove awards were announced on Wednesday morning by MLB. Every year, the managers and coaches award the top defensive player at each position with a Gold Glove. Fans then vote for the best player of each league for one Platinum Glove winner. As with any award, there are often snubs. This year is no different. The veteran third baseman for the San Diego Padres, Manny Machado, was not one of the three finalists for the National League’s hot corner. Instead, Alex Bregman, Max Muncy and Javier Sanoja were selected as the top three defensive players at the position. Was Machado truly snubbed? Here is a look at the numbers behind each of the four players’ defense.
A Utility Player: Javier Sanoja
4Sep 25, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins third baseman Javier Sanoja (8) throws to first base to retire Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy (not pictured) during the third inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
2026 was a career year for the 24-year-old infielder. Sanoja posted a .295/.333/.458 slash line in 144 games, all career highs. However, the Miami Marlin is more of a utility player than an everyday third baseman. Sanoja played 50-plus innings at five different positions (2B, 3B, SS, LF and RF), but the bulk of his work came at the hot corner (778.1 INN). He was great all around the field, yet he seems to have a better case for a Gold Glove at the utility spot than third base. Sanoja won the utility Gold Glove in 2025 and would have been a near-lock for the award this season as well.
But Sanoja simply isn’t the best option at third base. Among NL third basemen, he’s tied for fourth in Outs Above Average (+6) and Fielding Run Value (+5). Sanoja also ranks sixth in Defensive Runs Saved (+5). Among all third basemen, the Marlin ranks 56th in defensive Wins Above Replacement (dWAR) with 0.6. All of those statistics prove that Sanoja has an elite glove. But the question is whether or not he deserves the finalist nod ahead of Machado. He simply does not.
The Rival: Max Muncy
4Oct 7, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (13) throws to first for an out against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning in game four of the NLDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
This is the strangest finalist of the entire list. The longtime Los Angeles Dodger put up a phenomenal year on the offensive side, helping L.A. to a postseason berth and NL West division crown. Muncy hit 20-plus home runs for the first time since 2023 (36). However, his defense was lackluster. Among NL third basemen, Muncy ranks 25th in FRV (0), 16th in OAA (-1) and 18th in DRS (+2). Not only are those numbers not even remotely close to Machado’s, they’re nowhere near good enough to be considered a finalist for the best defense at the position.
The bigger sting for Padres fans is that Muncy is a member of the rival Dodgers. That’s not necessarily a measurable quality in Muncy’s defense, but it certainly makes the snub feel worse for the fans who watch Machado at the hot corner every day. Because of that, Muncy’s nod seems to have been more the product of the popularity of his team rather than his defensive acumen. Among all fielders, his 0.5 dWAR ranks 60th in baseball. Even Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado (+2 FRV, +2 OAA) deserves the nod ahead of Muncy.
Veteran vs. Veteran: Alex Bregman
4Aug 25, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Bregman is the only player on here who might deserve the award ahead of Machado. He is deserving of the finalist nod and should easily win the award over the other two candidates. Bregman ranks first among third baseman in DRS (+15) and second in FRV (+7) and OAA (+9). He’s also tied for 11th among all fielders in dWAR (1.8). Cap it all off with a miraculous second-half performance, and Bregman should run away with the award.
Even if Machado was a finalist, it’s unlikely he would have beaten out Bregman for the award. Sure, the Padres’ captain is ahead of Bregman in FRV and OAA, but his DRS and dWAR are quite low by comparison. Those stats hurt Machado’s case, so it wouldn’t have been too surprising to see him fall short in his pursuit of his third career Gold Glove (and first with San Diego). It’s plausible that the Chicago Cubs‘ third baseman still would have won the award, but it’s odd not to see Machado present at all.
Machado’s Case
4Sep 23, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) keeps his foot on the bag as he beats the tag by San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) in the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
That being said, Manny Machado has a case as the best defensive third baseman in all of baseball. It’s a strange snub for the San Diego veteran. Machado has been known for his defense since he joined the league in 2012. The third baseman has won two AL Gold Gloves during his time with the Baltimore Orioles (2013, 2015). Since then, he hasn’t won a single award due to Nolan Arenado’s elite defense over the last decade. However, Machado should have been considered this year after one of the best defensive seasons in his career.
Machado ranks first in FRV (+8) and OAA (+12). His -3 DRS and -0.1 dWAR leave something to be desired but neither seems like enough to leave him off of the ballot entirely. In more innings (1,210.0) than both Muncy (1,158.0) and Sanoja (778.1), Machado committed only three errors compared to Muncy’s 15 and Sanoja’s 11. Bregman played 38 more innings at the hot corner but made double the amount of errors as Machado. How the votes overlooked him remains unclear.