Twins players Carlos Santana and Willi Castro named finalists for Gold Glove Award – InForum

Carlos Santana is one step closer to fulfilling a promise he made to his mother before the 2024 season.

The veteran Twins first baseman was named a finalist for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for the second year in a row. In addition to Santana, Willi Castro was also named a finalist in a public service category that was created three years ago.

Neither Santana, 38, nor Castro, 27, have ever won a Gold Glove.

Before the season started, Santana, who wore a pink glove this year to honor his mother, said he asked her what he wanted to accomplish before he retired. He responded by telling him that he would like to be rewarded for his defense and take home a Gold Glove.

“This is what I want,” he said in September. “That’s what I promised my mom. I want to win. If I win and they told me, it’s the newest positive (thing) in my life.”

Santana appears to have a strong shot at winning the award, finishing first among all first basemen with an above-average 14 strikeouts. His eight defensive runs saved led all American League first basemen.

Nathaniel Lowe of the Texas Rangers and Ryan Mountcastle of the Baltimore Orioles are the other two finalists at the position. Castro joins Mauricio Dubón (Astros) and Dylan Moore (Mariners) as utility finalists.

The versatile Castro made history this season by becoming the only player in Major League Baseball history to play at least 25 games at five different positions (2B, 3B, SS, LF, CF).

Castro, who played in a team-leading 158 games, filled in at third base when Royce Lewis was injured, at shortstop when Carlos Correa landed on the injured list and in center field when Byron Buxton went down before time He finished the year with 40 games at second base, 37 at third, 56 at shortstop, 34 in left field and 30 in center.

He often appeared in multiple positions within a game, allowing coach Rocco Baldelli the flexibility to make the play moves he desired.

Finalists were determined by voting by managers and coaches in concert with the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) defensive index, which represents 25 percent of the selection.

The winners will be announced on November 3rd during a special “Baseball Tonight” on ESPN starting at 7:30pm CT. The Twins haven’t had a Gold Glove winner since Buxton (CF) and Brian Dozier (2B) won in 2017.