LAS VEGAS — Cubs All-Star Pete Crow-Armstrong is one of the best defensive players in baseball and took home his first career Gold Glove this season, being honored as the National League’s top defender in center field. Even at his elite level, Crow-Armstrong has an immense amount of respect for his counterpart in the American League, Ceddanne Rafaela.

Speaking on the red carpet before the MLB Awards show in Las Vegas on Thursday, Crow-Armstrong raved about Rafaela’s defense and called him the best center fielder in baseball. Rafaela led major league center fielders in defensive runs saved (DRS) with 20; Crow-Armstrong was tied with Toronto’s Myles Straw in second place with 15.

Rafaela played 1,167 ⅓ innings in center for the Red Sox in 2025 while also mixing in for 19 games (14 starts) and 165 innings at second base, mostly after the All-Star break. During a three-game series between the Red Sox and Cubs from July 18-20, Rafaela started one game in center and two at second base (in which he moved to center late). In 2024, he also played 71 games (56 starts) at shortstop after Trevor Story injured his shoulder in April.

All 2,375 innings of Crow-Armstrong’s three major league seasons have come in center field. He’s awestruck by Rafaela’s versatility.

“It’s his jumps (in center), and the fact that dude can play all nine positions is… I think he could have very easily won the utility (Gold Glove) award,” said Crow-Armstrong. “I’ve got a lot of admiration for someone that can go play shortstop and play center field and play second base and do it all on one weekend. We played them and I saw him in the infield and outfield. If I’m gonna geek out over anybody and be like, ‘I just really like watching him play,’ it’s him.

“Good conversationalist, too,” Crow-Armstrong added. “He was quick to try to play peacemaker at times when stuff got a little chippy. I like what he’s about. I think he’s about all the right things.”

Neither Rafaela nor Crow-Armstrong won the Platinum Glove award, given to the best defender in each league, which was decided by a fan vote. That honor went to Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. in the American League and San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. in the National League. Crow-Armstrong characterized both of those winners as worthy while also mentioning St. Louis’ Masyn Winn and San Francisco’s Patrick Bailey as good candidates. Rafaela, though, would have been his top choice.

“The two dudes that won it are pretty damn good. If it wasn’t league-based, I would have given it to Ceddanne,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I love watching him play center field. I think he’s the best in the game.”

Crow-Armstrong and Rafaela don’t know each other well but caught up during the summer series in Chicago and again at last week’s Gold Glove ceremony in Manhattan.

“I told him I’d like to see him year after year in New York for that Gold Glove event,” Crow-Armstrong said. “Andruw Jones told us the same thing. I’d like to get used to doing it with him. I just love the way he plays.”

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