Realmuto retains golden touch, even in awards voting

PHILADELPHIA >> J.T. Realmuto was named the Gold Glove winner among National League catchers Tuesday, hours before the first pitch of Game 3 of the World Series.

It’s the second time Realmuto has been recognized as the outstanding defender at his position, joining his win in 2019, his first season as a Phillie. The three-time All-Star led baseball in innings caught with 1,131. Including the postseason, he’s caught more than 1,200 innings, some 26 games’ worth more than anyone else.

Realmuto made eight errors, but he cut his passed balls count to just two, a career-low for a full season. He also threw out 30 of 68 would-be base-stealers, a league-best 44 percent. It’s the second-highest total in his career, next to 47 percent in 2019, and up from just 26 percent last season.

“That’s awesome. Welldeserved, well-earned, such a great catcher, such a great guy, great teammate,” pitcher Aaron Nola said. “To see what he’s done this year behind the plate, obviously one of the most athletic, in my opinion, if not the most in the major leagues, helps me out a lot. I’m not the quickest to the plate and he gets that ball down to second pretty quick.”

The last Phillie not named Realmuto to win a Gold Glove? Jimmy Rollins in 2012.

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It felt more pronounced Tuesday, after an unplanned day off tacked another day onto the World Series. But as October turns to November, the Fall Classic’s two participants have just not been playing much baseball.

Game 3 was the 14th of the postseason for the Phillies, over 26 days. As opposed to 10 in nine to end the regular season.

It’s even more leisurely for the Astros. Tuesday is their 10th game in 22 days; 27 days if you count their five-day hiatus as a firstround bye team.

“We’ve tried to stay as sharp as possible with all these days off,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “And you’re so right about it is a rhythm sport. So a lot of it you have to play it in your mind and sometimes fool yourself that you do have rhythm, because there’s no alternative, really. There’s no substitute for game action.”

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The pitching advantage shifts to Houston in Game 4, when Cristian Javier takes on Noah Syndergaard.

The 25-year-old from the Dominican Republic

has electric stuff, including a fastball driving one of the highest strikeout rates in baseball (194 whiffs in 148.2 innings). He went 11-9 with a 2.53 ERA.

Javier threw 5.1 innings of one-hit ball at Yankee Stadium in Game 3 of the ALCS. He last surrendered an earned run 31 innings ago, in a Sept. 7 start against Texas. He’s only given up one earned run in 35 innings since Sept. 1.

“He’s evolved as far as throwing strikes better,” Baker said. “His breaking ball is better than it was last year or even the year before that. He’s a very confident young man, but he’s a very quiet young man that really pays attention to everything. Like, he doesn’t talk much, but he doesn’t miss anything.”

AP PHOTO / SUE OGROCKI Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto, left, celebrating the final out recorded by pitcher David Robertson in Game 1of the World Series, was named an NL Gold Glove Award winner Tuesday.