Rengifo Gold Glove finalist while Velazquez snubbed is... interesting

The Los Angeles Angels have a Gold Glove finalist. Luis Rengifo is a finalist for the new Utility position which was definitely an odd choice.

Rengifo had a breakout offensive year where he hit 17 home runs and looked like a piece that might be relevant for years to come. Defensively though, things weren't as pretty.

Rengifo being a Gold Glove finalist for the Utility position might make sense since he had games played at second base, third base, shortstop, and both outfield spots. However, he just wasn't good defensively. Rengifo was in the fifth percentile in outs above average this season according to baseball savant which is not good.

Rengifo is the Angels Gold Glove nominee, not Velazquez

Rengifo had a total of one DRS in the five positions he played. His best position was third base where he had three DRS. He had a negative number at second base and shortstop. It's definitely a strange choice to see him as a finalist.

I expected the Angels to have a Gold Glove nominee. I expected that nominee to be shortstop Andrew Velazquez.

Velazquez played in 125 games this season which was fourth on the team. He certainly did not play because of his bat. He slashed .196/.236/.304 with nine home runs and 28 RBI. He had an OPS+ of 53 which is abysmal. He played so much for one reason and one reason only. His defense.

Velazquez had 11 DRS which was third among American League shortstops. He was behind one finalist Jeremy Pena, and another snub Jorge Mateo. The other finalists for the shortstop Gold Glove, Xander Bogaerts and Carlos Correa, and four and three DRS respectively.

Velazquez ranked in the 82nd percentile in DRS according to baseball savant while Correa ranked in the 18th percentile.

Correa won a Gold Glove last season and deserved to. He had an extraordinary year. But this year, he wasn't very good at all in the field yet he's a finalist over someone like Velazquez who's not a household name but had all the stats necessary to be a finalist.

Rengifo didn't really have the numbers to back him up being a finalist although there weren't many players who played as many positions as he did. Velazquez did have the stats necessary to be a finalist but he wasn't one.