Dubón did it all, all over the field
Versatile standout a Gold Glove finalist at second base, utility
ARLINGTON — Mauricio Dubón, the utilityman who helped the Astros navigate injuries to Jose Altuve this season, received some recognition Wednesday for his defensive versatility.
Dubón was named a finalist for the AL Gold Glove awards at second base and utility. Cleveland’s Andrés Giménez and Texas’ Marcus Semien are the other AL finalists at second. Detroit’s Zach McKinstry and Tampa Bay’s Taylor Walls are the other finalists at utility, where a Gold Glove was first awarded in 2022.
“I was happy about it,” Dubón said. “I felt I had done a pretty good job on defense. I didn’t think I would get nominated for two. But I’m on defense so much that it’s finally getting noticed.”
Dubón, a first-time Gold Glove finalist, is one of three Astros named finalists. Alex Bregman is a finalist at third base, along with Toronto’s Matt Chapman and Cleveland’s José Ramírez. Kyle Tucker is a finalist in right field, joining Texas’ Adolis García and Boston’s Alex Verdugo.
Tucker won the Gold Glove, his first, last year. Bregman, a three-time finalist, has never won the award. Jeremy Peña, who won the AL Gold Glove at shortstop as a rookie last year, is not a finalist this year.
Gold Glove winners are selected by a mix of votes by managers and coaches, and the SABR Defensive Index, which includes factors such as range, arm strength and accuracy and outstanding fielding plays.
As of Aug. 13, the SABR index ranked Giménez as its top AL second baseman, followed by Semien and Dubón. Dubón is a finalist despite starting just 66 games, and playing 79 games, at second. Sports Info Solutions rated Dubón plus-5 runs saved in 616 2⁄3 innings at second base. Among AL players with at least 500 innings at second, that was third behind Giménez (23) and Semien (16).
According to Rawlings, which awards the Gold Glove, all infielders and outfielders with at least 698 total innings played qualify for the award at the position where they played the most innings. Dubón played every position in the field except catcher and pitcher for the Astros this season, logging 989 ⁄ innings total 1
3 with the majority at second base.
“When we lost (Altuve) in spring training, (Dubón) really said, ‘You know what? I’ve got an opportunity to make an impact and show my skills at second base,’ ” said Astros bench coach Joe Espada, who works with the infielders.
“He took it to heart. And he worked really, really hard at it. And those first two months, he was the best defensive second baseman in the game. He was that good.”
Dubón filled in at second as Altuve missed the season’s first 43 games with a fractured thumb and later while Altuve missed time to an oblique injury. Dubón had a .978 fielding percentage at second base and rated particularly well at turning double plays, which factors into the SABR index for middle infielders.
Wednesday, Dubón traced his second-base play to “not (being) too worried about when you make a mistake and just going and pretty much trusting your instincts. I think that’s been the biggest thing for me: Just trust my instincts.”
Dubón logged his secondmost innings in center field, where he rated plus-three runs saved in 210 2⁄3 innings, per Sports Info Solutions. He appeared at every defensive position except catcher and pitcher. That included starting two games at first base, a position Dubón had never played in pro ball.
Earlier this season, Dubón said watching former Astros utilityman Aledmys Díaz handle the role helped him embrace it. Dubón does regular pregame work at multiple positions, and Espada said they watch “a ton of video to make sure that his positioning, his spacing is always correct.
“Once you put him in a position to succeed, there’s no doubt he’s a really good defender,” Espada said.
It allowed Dubón to forge a role on the Astros that was not available to him with the Giants, who traded Dubón to Houston for catcher Michael Papierski in May 2022. Dubón played in a career-high 132 games this season; only one Astros player, Peña, rated more defensive runs saved from Sports Info Solutions.
Dubón, who stated in May that he was “not treated the right way” with the Giants, on Wednesday credited the trade to Houston with aiding his career.
“Coming to Houston and watching all these great players — the Yordan Alvarezes, the Jose Altuves, everybody coming out of here, the Bregmans — just having that confidence, that rubs off,” Dubón said. “You believe you’re the best team in the world, and all of a sudden you start believing you’re one of the best players in the world.”
At third base, the SABR index rated Bregman second among AL players behind Chapman, with Ramírez fourth. Bregman had arguably his best defensive season in several years, per the eye test and metrics. He rated plus-five runs saved, per Sports Info Solutions, his highest mark since 2019 and second among qualified third baseman after Chapman, who rated plus-12.
Tucker did not rate as well metrically on defense this season as in 2022. The SABR index assessed him a negative rating and 13th among qualified AL right fielders, while García rated first and Verdugo second. Sports Info Solutions assessed Tucker plus-1 run saved this season compared to plus-14 runs saved last year. That would indicate support for Tucker from AL managers and coaches who voted for the award.
All MLB managers and up to six coaches from each team vote on the Gold Glove. They vote only for players in their league and cannot vote for players on their team. Gold Glove winners will be announced Nov. 5.