Two Guardians Named Finalists For 2026 AL Gold Glove Award

The Cleveland Guardians are in the middle of a tough American League Championship Series with the Tampa Bay Rays, with the series tied 1-1 heading into Game 3.

The next three games will be played in Cleveland, with the Guardians looking to potentially clinch a trip to the World Series at home. Both teams have been able to show their strength in this series so far, and the remainder of the games should be fun to watch.

Before Game 3 gets going, MLB has announced the finalists for the 2026 Gold Glove Award in the AL. Two members of the Guardians were announced, giving Cleveland a chance to bring home the honor.

Outfielder Steven Kwan was the first player announced as a finalist for the Guardians this year. Kwan has won the Gold Glove Award four times over his MLB career, and the outfielder is trying to grab another here.

Most of Kwan's play in the outfielder has been in left, but this season, he spent more time in center field for the Guardians. The change hasn't hurt his defense, with the veteran still performing at a high level for this team.

Kwan, a two-time All-Star, put together a very nice season for the Guardians this year, helping them get into the playoffs. For the season, Kwan hit .282 with three home runs, 32 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases, while posting an OPS of .731.

The outfielder has been subject to trade rumors over the last few years, and the Guardians are expected to pick them back up this coming offseason. If Kwan were to win another Gold Glove Award, it could help the team's case to get a larger return if he were to be moved.

Additionally, pitcher Tanner Bibee was named as a finalist for pitchers in the AL this season. Bibee has never won a Gold Glove in his career, but he did win a fielding award during the 2024 season, showing his talent.

Bibee was a solid contributor for the Guardians all season long, throwing 188.0 innings over the regular season. During this time, the right-hander recorded a 4.36 ERA over 33 starts, giving Cleveland good lengthen in the starting rotation.

But his one outing in the playoffs this season was rough, with Bibee allowing two runs over 0.1 innings against the Chicago White Sox. Cleveland will have to see how they feel about giving Bibee another chance this postseason, and he'll have to earn his keep to stay on the field.

Both Bibee and Kwan put together strong seasons on defense, and now each of them has a chance to come away with this award this year. Baseball will announce the winners on November 1, 2026, at 8:30 p.m. ET in New York City.