The main difference between the Rawlings Gold Glove and Platinum Glove awards is that the Gold Glove is given to the best player at each of the nine positions in each league (as voted on by managers and coaches) while the Platinum Glove is a more prestigious recognition and is awarded to the single best defensive player in both leagues (as voted on by the fans). So, a Gold Glove is awarded to 18 players (nine players in each league) while the Platinum Glove is only given to two (one player in each league).
Thus, a player must first be awarded a Gold Glove for the season in order to be eligible for Platinum Glove voting.
Who has the most Gold Gloves?
Now, when you think defense, pitcher probably isn’t the first position to come to mind, but Greg Maddux is actually the player with the most Gold Gloves (18). That’s not saying fielding your position as pitcher is easy. If you’ve ever had the luxury of sitting behind home plate (some of the best seats in baseball) you’ve probably seen just how little time there is between a pitch being thrown and that same pitch being lined right back to the pitcher.
Greg Maddux, Gold Glove. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Cagw2EIOnr
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) December 23, 2020
Brooke Robinson, a famous third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles has 16 Gold Gloves, which is even more impressive considering Willie Mays only (only) has 12.
Every year voting comes around, there is talk about previous winners having a leg up when it comes to earning an additional Gold Glove, taking something drastic for a newcomer to dethrone the winner ahead of them. With the Platinum Glove award, though, that can hardly. bethe case given it’s a fan vote, and one that goes to a single player in each league.
Who has the most Platinum Glove awards?
Mix that in with the fact the Platinum Glove award has only been around since 2011, and you’re going to see the players with the most awards tallying a much smaller number.
So given that, it’s pretty impressive that of the 12 awards in the National League from 2011 to 2022, Nolan Arenado has won six, and the last six at that! Yadier Molina has four Platinum Glove awards himself, with Anthony Rizzo’s win in 2016 and Andrelton Simmon’s award in 2013 being the other two.
Nolan Arenado is now a 5-time Platinum Gold Glove winner, the most by any player! @Cardinals l @RawlingsSports pic.twitter.com/712v2tcqFw
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 12, 2021
In the American League, Adrian Beltre and Matt Chapman are the only two players to win back-to-back Platinum Glove awards (2011-2012 and 2018-2019, respectively). Alex Gordon of the Royals has also won two Platinum Glove awards, but six years apart coming in 2014 and 2022. The rest of the winners, Manny Machado, Kevin Kiermaier, Francisco Lindor, Byron Buxton, Carlos Correa, and Jose Trevino, have only won one.
The interesting thing is that altogether, 11 of the awards have gone to the third baseman and five have gone to the catcher position. (Shortstop isn’t far behind with three.) It’s an impressive point given these are some of the more difficult positions in baseball.
