Braves duo secures 2026 Gold Glove awards
Matt Olson and Mauricio Dubón win defensive honors, extending a franchise streak that has produced 12 Gold Gloves in nine seasons.
By Ariana Flores ·
The Atlanta Braves have solidified their reputation as a defensive powerhouse by adding two Rawlings Gold Glove Awards to their 2026 season. First baseman Matt Olson and utilityman Mauricio Dubón were named the National League’s top defenders at their respective positions on Sunday night. The awards recognize the players who demonstrated the highest level of fielding excellence over the course of the year.
Olson, 32, earned his fourth career Gold Glove, a milestone that places him in rare company among current Major League first basemen. Only Christian Walker and Paul Goldschmidt have achieved the same distinction while still active. Olson outperformed San Diego’s Ty France and Colorado’s T.J. Rumfield in the voting process. He led all first basemen in the league with 12 Outs Above Average and 12 fielding run value. He also recorded 11 Defensive Runs Saved, a figure that placed him second behind France. The 32-year-old appeared in all 162 games for the Braves, anchoring the infield with consistent reliability.
Dubón, also 32, claimed his third Gold Glove by virtue of his versatility across multiple positions. He started 75 games in left field, 51 at shortstop, 14 in center field, five at third base, and four at second base. This flexibility allowed him to secure the utility award, a category that Rawlings introduced in 2022. Dubón is the first Atlanta player to win this specific honor since its inception. He has won the utility Gold Glove three times in five years, including two awards while playing in the American League with the Houston Astros.
The selection process combines human judgment with statistical analysis. Managers and up to six coaches from each team cast ballots that account for 75% of the total vote. These voters are prohibited from selecting their own players. The remaining 25% is determined by the SABR Defensive Index, a data-driven formula that measures range, arm strength, and fielding reliability. A separate calculation of this index determines the winner of the utility award.
Other Braves finalists did not make the final cut. Left-handed pitcher Chris Sale was edged out by New York Mets right-hander Nolan McLean. Center fielder Michael Harris II lost the vote to Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. The 2022 duo of pitcher Max Fried and shortstop Dansby Swanson was the last time the Braves had two players win Gold Gloves in the same year.
The franchise has claimed 12 Gold Glove Awards across seven of the last nine seasons. This current streak began in 2018 and has continued through the 2026 season. The full list of National League winners includes Gabriel Moreno of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Brice Turang of the Milwaukee Brewers, Alex Bregman of the Chicago Cubs, and Geraldo Perdomo of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Corbin Carroll of the Diamondbacks and Jackson Chourio of the Brewers also received hardware for their defensive performances.
The American League awards went to several notable players. Christian Walker of the Houston Astros won the first base honor, while Cole Young of the Seattle Mariners took the second base award. Caleb Durbin of the Boston Red Sox and Taylor Walls of the Tampa Bay Rays won at third base and shortstop, respectively. The Red Sox also swept the remaining outfield positions with Ceddanne Rafaela in center field and Wilyer Abreu in right field.
