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                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694083714074.png" alt="Photo Courtesy&nbsp; Kansas City Royals" />
                        <figcaption>Photo Courtesy&nbsp; Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><div data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)"><em>Kansas City Royals</em></div>
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<div data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)"><strong data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">KANSAS CITY, Mo.</strong>&mdash;<em>Rawlings</em>&nbsp;Sporting Goods Inc. announced today that catcher&nbsp;<strong>Freddy Fermin</strong>, pitchers&nbsp;<strong>Seth Lugo</strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Cole Ragans</strong>&nbsp;and shortstop&nbsp;<strong>Bobby Witt Jr.</strong>&nbsp;were named finalists for the 2024 American League&nbsp;<em>Rawlings</em>&nbsp;Gold Glove Award. This marks the first career nomination for all four players. The&nbsp;<em>Rawlings</em>&nbsp;Gold Glove Awards honor the best individual fielding performances at&nbsp;each position in the American League and National League. Winners are chosen by a combination of votes from Major League managers and coaches, and the SABR Defensive Index.</div>
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<div data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Fermin, 29, played in 111 games in 2024, including 91 at catcher (72 starts). During the regular season, he caught 14 of 35 attempted base stealers (40.0%), the highest rate among all Major League catchers, more than 10.0% higher than the next American League catcher (Toronto&rsquo;s&nbsp;<strong>Alejandro Kirk</strong>, 29.4%). His caught stealing rate translated to 8 Catcher&rsquo;s Caught Stealing Above Average, per&nbsp;<em>Baseball Savant</em>, the highest total in the AL. The Venezuela native also boasted a 3.39 catcher&rsquo;s ERA, the 3rd-lowest mark in the AL behind Seattle&rsquo;s&nbsp;<strong>Cal Raleigh</strong>&nbsp;(3.30) and Detroit&rsquo;s&nbsp;<strong>Jake Rogers</strong>&nbsp;(3.32).</div>
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<div class="x_x_elementToProof" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Lugo, who turns 35 in November, was one of 10 American League pitchers to finish with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage and make 30-or-more starts, and he started more games (33) and covered more innings (206.2) than everyone in that group. Lugo had 43 defensive chances this season, 2nd to Boston&rsquo;s&nbsp;<strong>Tanner Houck</strong>&nbsp;(51) for the AL lead. He successfully recorded 14 putouts and 29 assists, while contributing to 3 double plays, 1 shy of&nbsp;<strong>Michael Lorenzen</strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Casey Mize</strong>&nbsp;for the AL lead. Lugo registered 5 Defensive Runs Saved, 1 shy of&nbsp;<strong>Tanner Bibee&rsquo;s</strong>&nbsp;American League-leading 6 for pitchers.</div>
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<div data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Ragans, who turns 27 in December, also logged a 1.000 fielding percentage across 32 starts and 186.1 innings, but he only fielded 26 chances (7 putouts, 19 assists) while converting 1 double play. Nine American League pitchers posted a 1.000 fielding percentage with at least 26 chances, and three of them were Royals in Lugo (43 chances), Ragans (26) and<strong>&nbsp;Michael Wacha</strong>&nbsp;(29), who was not a finalist.</div>
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<div data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Witt Jr., 24, posted a .974 fielding percentage across 1393.2 innings, tied for the 2nd-highest mark by a qualified American League shortstop, behind Texas&rsquo;&nbsp;<strong>Corey Seager</strong>&nbsp;(.983, 959.1 innings). He was the only shortstop in the AL to start at least 160 games, and his 1393.2 innings marked the 4th-most innings played at shortstop in franchise history, behind only a trio of seasons from&nbsp;<strong>Alcides Escobar</strong>&nbsp;in 2014 and 2016-17, headlined by his 1433.2 innings in 162 starts in 2014. Witt Jr. recorded a career-high Fielding Run Value (12), which paced American League shortstops and only trailed&nbsp;<strong>Dansby Swanson</strong>&nbsp;(14) of the Cubs for the Major League lead. He also logged 16 Outs Above Average, per&nbsp;<em>Baseball Savant</em>, the highest mark among AL shortstops, 3 ahead of New York&rsquo;s&nbsp;<strong>Anthony Volpe</strong>. According to&nbsp;<em>FanGraphs&rsquo;</em>&nbsp;Defensive Runs Above Average (DEF), a statistic that measures a player&rsquo;s defensive value relative to league average, Witt Jr.&rsquo;s score of 17.6 was the 2nd best at his position behind Swanson&rsquo;s 18.9, and it finished more than a full point higher than the next AL shortstop (Volpe, 16.2).</div>
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<div class="x_x_elementToProof" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Winners will be revealed on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m. CT, during a special addition of &ldquo;Baseball Tonight,&rdquo; which will air on ESPN.</div></div>

⚾ 4 Royals named finalists for Rawlings Gold Glove awards