Why Pete Alonso Was Not Named a Finalist for an AL Gold Glove Award

Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso will not be competing for an American League Gold Glove. The 31-year-old was left off the 2026 list of finalists for AL first basemen. The three players selected are Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays, Vinnie Pasquantino of the Kansas City Royals and Christian Walker of the Houston Astros.

Alonso delivered a strong season at the plate and made just four errors in 143 games at first base, but his defensive metrics help explain why voters preferred other candidates.

Alonso finished the regular season with a .997 fielding percentage, reflecting how rarely he made an error on a defensive chance. However, fielding percentage does not measure range or account for plays a defender fails to make.

Per Statcast's Baseball Savant, he finished 2026 at 0 Outs Above Average, an improvement from -9 in 2025 but not a standout mark. His -2 Fielding Run Value also rated him below-average overall.

Those figures help explain the snub despite his clean fielding percentage. His 2026 numbers were better than his previous season in some respects, but they did not place him among the strongest defenders at the position.

The finalists made strong cases by advanced measures. Walker led all first basemen with +7 FRV, while Pasquantino ranked among the leaders at the position in Defensive Runs Saved.

Both offered evidence of run prevention beyond simply avoiding errors. Guerrero, meanwhile, posted an FRV of 6 and recorded 4 OAA, giving voters a clear statistical case to put him on the list despite his down offensive year in Toronto.

Still, Alonso's offensive production was a major bright spot in his first season in Baltimore. He hit .267 with 43 home runs, 113 RBIs and an .885 OPS across 161 games and received the team's Most Valuable Oriole award.

He also made history as the first player to lead both the American and National Leagues in RBIs, having led the National League with 131 for the New York Mets in 2022 before leading the AL with 113 this season. 

The Gold Glove finalists were announced by Rawlings on October 14th with winners scheduled to be revealed November 1st.

Alonso's omission may frustrate fans focused on his four errors, but the advanced numbers show why the decision was not simply a matter of fielding percentage. His improved range was encouraging, yet his overall defensive value remained below the level reflected by this year's finalists.