Xander Bogaerts Named Gold Glove Finalist
BOSTON (CBS) -- Xander Bogaerts vastly improved his defense this past season, and the rest of Major League Baseball has taken notice.
The Boston shortstop was named a finalist for the American League's Gold Glove Award on Thursday, along with Alcides Escobar of the Royals and Didi Gregorious of the Yankees.
Bogaerts made just 11 errors in 676 chances this season, vastly improving his range in the field as well. His .984 fielding percentage ranked eighth among Major League shortstops and was good for second in the American League, behind just Baltimore's J.J. Hardy who had just 445 total chances in 119 games.
In 2014, splitting time between shortstop and third base, Bogaerts made 20 errors in 515 chances.
The Gold Glove winners will be announced on November 10. Bogaerts is the only member of the Red Sox up for a Gold Glove while both the Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants lead all teams with four finalists each.
