Red Sox’ Hunter Renfroe has a chance for more hardware
Red Sox right fielder Hunter Renfroe had one of the best seasons of his career, both at the plate and in the field. He has a chance to be rewarded for both.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 20: Hunter Renfroe #10 of the Boston Red Sox throws in a ball hit by Jose Siri #26 of the Houston Astros in the sixth inning of Game Five of the American League Championship Series at Fenway Park on October 20, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
Omar Rawlings/Getty ImagesRed Sox right fielder Hunter Renfroe just had one of the best seasons of his career, both at the plate and in the field. He has a chance to be rewarded for both.
Rawlings recently announced the finalists for the Gold Glove awards, given annually to the most outstanding defensive player at each position. Renfroe is a nominee for right field, along with the Astros' Kyle Tucker and Yankees' Joey Gallo.
Renfroe started 133 games in right for the Red Sox in 2021. He made 16 assists from the outfield, which was tied for the American League lead along with the Rangers' Adolis Garcia. Comparatively, Gallo made 14 assists and Tucker made six.
However, Renfroe did commit 12 errors on the season. Gallo made seven errors, while Tucker made only three. Tucker had the best fielding percentage of the three at .989.
What Renfroe has going for him is that he made a number of big plays with his arm from the outfield. One of his top highlights of the season was a game-ending throw to nab the Rays' Joey Wendle at third base.
The elephant in the room with the Gold Glove awards is that they are often awarded to the best fielders among those who happened to have good offensive seasons. Renfroe, Gallo, and Tucker are also up for the Silver Slugger Award after they each hit over 30 home runs. Advanced metrics like defensive wins above average or "Ultimate Zone Rating" may point to the Rangers' Adolis Garcia as a better candidate than all three finalists.
But Garcia couldn't slug or get on base at the level that Renfroe, Gallo, and Tucker did. So he comes up empty-handed here.
Renfroe will be hoping that his big plays in a contending season will stand out in the minds of voters.
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Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @mattydsays. You can also email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.
