Betts ties MLB record with his sixth Fielding Bible Award
LOS ANGELES ❯❯ Mookie Betts is being recognized for his defensive versatility.
Betts has been named the multi-position winner of a Fielding Bible Award for the 2023 season. It is Betts' sixth Fielding Bible Award, tying him with longtime St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina and former Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons for the most. Betts' first five were for his play in right field.
Betts is also a finalist for the Gold Glove at two positions this year — right field and utility player.
Betts started 77 games in right field, 62 at second base and 12 at shortstop this season. He finished with a 1.000 fielding percentage in right field, where he had eight assists.
Betts has already won a Gold Glove for his defense in right field six times in the past seven seasons (four with the Boston Red Sox and two with the Dodgers).
The utility player award was added to the Gold Gloves for the first time last year in order to recognize multi-position players.
The Dodgers also have Gold Glove finalists at first base (Freddie Freeman) and left field (David Peralta). Both Freeman (2018) and Peralta (2019) have won Gold Gloves in the past.
Betts is one of three finalists in right field along with the Washington Nationals' Lane Thomas and the San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. The three finalists for the utility position honor are Betts, the St. Louis Cardinals' Tommy Edman and the Padres' Ha-Seong Kim.
Freeman is a finalist at first base along with the Arizona Diamondbacks' Christian Walker and the Milwaukee Brewers' Carlos Santana. Peralta is a finalist in left field along with the Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ and the Atlanta Braves' Eddie Rosario.
The Gold Glove winners will be announced on ESPN on Nov. 5 at 4:30 p.m.
The Fielding Bible Award winners are determined by a 16-member panel.
Additionally, Betts is a finalist for Players Choice Awards as the MLB Player of the Year (along with the Angels' Shohei Ohtani and Atlanta's Ronald Acuña Jr.) and the National League's Outstanding Player (along with Acuña and Atlanta's Matt Olson).
Winners will be announced next Thursday during the 3 p.m. edition of SportsCenter on ESPN.