CLEVELAND, Ohio — Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee and second baseman Andrés Giménez were named the top defenders in Major League Baseball at their positions Thursday according to Sports Info Solutions, the baseball data collective that has presented the Fielding Bible Awards for the last 19 years.
It marked the second straight win for Giménez, and the first time a Cleveland pitcher has been recognized by SIS for his defense.
Bibee and Giménez join Matt Chapman and Patrick Bailey of the Giants as the only teammates honored by SIS with individual awards this year. Cleveland left fielder Steven Kwan, who had won Fielding Bible Awards the previous two seasons, missed out this year in favor of Detroit’s Riley Greene.
Cleveland has now had multiple Fielding Bible Award winners in three straight years, with Kwan and Myles Straw winning in 2022, and Giménez and Kwan winning in 2023. The award is a strong indicator as to which players could win Gold Glove Awards at their positions. Giménez and Kwan have each won two straight Gold Glove Awards and are both finalists again this year.
Andrés Giménez, Cleveland Guardians.Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Giménez joined Dustin Pedroia (2013, 2014) and Kolten Wong (2018, 2019, 2020) as second basemen to win multiple awards since its inception in 2006. Giménez is the only Guardians player to win a Fielding Bible Award at second base.
His 20 defensive runs saved ranked second among second basemen. The Venezuela native ranked highly with 11 plays saved above average on balls hit to his right and 10 plays above average on balls hit to his left. He led second basemen with 33 good fielding plays.
Andrés Giménez, Cleveland Guardians.Diamond Images/Getty Images
Manager Stephen Vogt said he tipped his cap after a Giménez play more often than he could remember this season, and that amazing plays are commonplace when watching Giménez work around the bag. But appreciating Giménez’s defense comes with more than that.
“He doesn’t dress up routine plays, he gets them done,” Vogt said. “The meticulous practice that he puts in every day allows him to be as good as he is. He takes so much pride in the little things on defense.”
And when plays break down, Giménez is the one Cleveland’s defense turns to. Several times throughout the year Giménez cut down runs at the plate with precise relay throws to Bo Naylor and Austin Hedges.
“He saved us so many runs this year,” Vogt said. “Not just with the great plays, but just with his instincts and his communication with (Brayan) Rocchio and Naylor and the other people on the field.”
Tanner Bibee, Cleveland Guardians.Getty Images
Bibee’s win was a surprise as he became the first Cleveland pitcher to win the award. He was the MLB co-leader in defensive runs saved for pitchers, which takes into account controlling an opponent’s running game as well as how he fielded his position.
According to SIS, Bibee’s six runs saved were equally split between the range component and the stolen base component. He held baserunners to six stolen bases against six caught stealing. He also co-led the American League and ranked third in the major leagues with four pickoffs.
Toronto outfielder Daulton Varsho, who had at least 10 runs saved at both left and center field, earned defensive player of the year honors.
The awards are voted on by a panel of experts who consider statistical analysis as well as a variety of other factors.
Tanner Bibee, Cleveland Guardians.Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Fielding Bible winners
- First Base – Matt Olson, Braves
- Second Base – Andrés Giménez, Guardians
- Third Base – Matt Chapman, Giants
- Shortstop – Masyn Winn, Cardinals
- Left Field – Riley Greene, Tigers
- Center Field – Brenton Doyle, Rockies
- Right Field – Wilyer Abreu, Red Sox
- Catcher – Patrick Bailey, Giants
- Pitcher – Tanner Bibee, Guardians
- Multi-Position – Daulton Varsho, Blue Jays