The Detroit Tigers haven’t had a full-season American League Gold Glove Award winner since 2009. Last season, leftfielder Yoenis Cespedes won the award as a Tiger — but he played the final two months of the season with the Mets. This season, four Tigers are finalists for the AL Gold Glove, as announced by Rawlings on Thursday: second baseman Ian Kinsler, shortstop Jose Iglesias, catcher James McCann and pitcher Justin Verlander.
All but Kinsler — who despite outstanding defense the past three seasons has yet to win baseball’s top defensive honor — are first-time finalists. In 2015, Kinsler lost out to Houston’s Jose Altuve.