Cubs Field Two Gold Gloves as Team Defense Leads the League

The Chicago Cubs fielded the best defense in Major League Baseball this season, a standard that resulted in two individual Gold Glove Awards for the franchise on Sunday night. The team’s collective defensive strength placed several players in contention, but only two crossed the finish line with the 2026 Rawling's hardware.

Third baseman Alex Bregman secured a Gold Glove following his first season with Chicago. His +9 outs above average ranked second among all third basemen, trailing only San Diego Padres player Manny Machado. Bregman joins Hall of Famer Ron Santo as the only Cubs third basemen to receive the honor. He had previously won the award while playing for the Houston Astros.

Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong claimed his second consecutive Gold Glove after a 40/40 campaign. The player led the major leagues in three key defensive metrics: outs above average, defensive runs, and fielding run value. His +26 outs above average stood as the highest total in baseball, cementing his reputation as the league's premier defensive asset.

Three other Cubs players finished as finalists for the National League award: shortstop Dansby Swanson, left fielder Ian Happ, and right fielder Seiya Suzuki. Chicago shared the top spot in finalists with the Toronto Blue Jays. In the American League, Chicago White Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth also received finalist recognition.

The 2026 awards continue a recent trend for the Cubs. The team led the league in Gold Glove finalists last year with six players and won three awards in 2025. The current roster maintains that defensive depth, though only two players ultimately took home the trophies.