Rizzo gets second Gold Glove
The Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo and the Braves’ Freddie Freeman shared the National League Gold Glove award at first base Sunday. It was the fourth tie in the history of the award.
It was Rizzo’s second Gold Glove; he also won in 2016. The other two Cubs first basemen to win Gold Gloves are Mark Grace (four times) and Derrek Lee (twice).
Javy Baez lost to former Cub D.J. LeMahieu among NL second baseman, and right fielder Jason Heyward’s string of four Gold Gloves ended as the Braves’ Nick Markakis took the honor.
Center fielder Ender Inciarte also was honored for the Braves.
Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Ian Kinsler won Gold Gloves for the World Series champion Red Sox. The 26-yearold Betts won for the third straight year.
Kinsler got his second Gold Glove at second base, and Bradley won for the first time in center. Teammate Andrew Benintendi also was nominated, but Royals left fielder Alex Gordon took home his sixth Gold Glove instead.
The Athletics, Rockies and Diamondbacks each had two Gold Glove winners in the infield.
Diamondbacks pitcher Zack Greinke got his fifth consecutive Gold Glove award, and teammate Nick Ahmed won for the first time at shortstop.
Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina took home his ninth Gold Glove, but his first since 2015. It was a similar situation at catcher in the AL, with Salvador Perez winning for the Royals for the fifth time after he was unseated by Martin Maldonado last year.
Pirates left fielder Corey Dickerson rounded out the NL winners. Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel and Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons also won in the AL.
This and that
The Red Sox and Nationals were the only two teams that surpassed the $197 million luxury-tax threshold this past season, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network.
This marked the second consecutive season the Nationals owe the tax. The Red Sox last surpassed the threshold in 2015 and ’16.
♦ The Cardinals are “sending signals they are out to be a player” in free agency, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Cardinals intend to explore Bryce Harper’s market and see if they match up.
♦ The Giants are interested in Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi, according to Morosi, and The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that Zaidi likely will interview for the job.