The Cleveland Guardians are focused on the American League Championship Series right now, but two of their players received some good news recently. Rawlings revealed the finalists for this year’s Gold Glove Awards, and a pair of Guardians made the cut in the American League. Steven Kwan was named a finalist in center field, while Tanner Bibee earned a nod among the league’s best defensive pitchers. The recognition comes in the middle of a postseason run in which Cleveland’s defense has played a major role. Rawlings announced the full list of finalists and gave fans a date to circle on the calendar.
“Your 2026 Rawlings Gold Glove Award Finalists! Winners will be announced on 11/1,” Rawlings Baseball posted.
Your 2026 Rawlings Gold Glove Award Finalists!
Winners will be announced on 11/1! #RawlingsGoldGloveAwards pic.twitter.com/vwQ97Ru3iv
— Rawlings Baseball (@RawlingsSports) October 14, 2026
Kwan is up against Texas’ Evan Carter and Boston’s Ceddanne Rafaela in center field. Being named a finalist is not new territory for Kwan, who has already won multiple Gold Gloves during his career as a left fielder. What makes this nomination stand out is that it comes at a new position. Kwan spent much of this season in center field and showed he can handle the extra ground, while his arm also became a weapon. He was one of only seven outfielders in the majors to record ten or more assists in 2026.
His glove has been paired with a terrific bat in the second half. After a slow start to the year, Kwan led the majors with a .353 batting average after the All Star break, and no qualified hitter collected more hits over that span. He has continued to set the table during the postseason, and his single in the fourth inning of Game 5 of the division series set up José Ramírez’s series clinching home run against the White Sox.
Bibee is one of three finalists at pitcher, alongside Texas’ Jacob deGrom and José Soriano, who split the season between the Angels and Blue Jays. The award recognizes how well a pitcher fields his position, from covering first base to handling comebackers and controlling the running game. Bibee took the ball every fifth day all season, making all 33 of his starts and throwing 188 innings while recording nineteen quality starts, the most by a Cleveland pitcher since Shane Bieber in 2022.
There were a few notable Guardians left off the list. Brayan Rocchio was one of the most improved defensive shortstops in the game this season, finishing with +13 outs above average according to Statcast, but he did not make the cut. The American League shortstop finalists are Toronto’s Andrés Giménez, Tampa Bay’s Taylor Walls and Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. Patrick Bailey, a two-time Gold Glove winner, also missed out at catcher after splitting the season between San Francisco and Cleveland.
The Rays have a couple of finalists of their own. Along with Walls at shortstop, outfielder Chandler Simpson was named a finalist in left field after ranking among the best defensive outfielders in the majors. White Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth, who faced Cleveland in the division series, also earned a spot on the list.
Kwan and Bibee will have to wait until Nov. 1 to find out whether they take home the hardware. In the meantime, the Guardians have bigger goals in mind. The best of seven ALCS is tied at one game apiece, and Game 3 is set for Thursday at Progressive Field, with Gavin Williams on the mound. If Cleveland keeps playing the kind of defense that earned these nominations, a trip to the World Series could arrive before the awards do.
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