The Cubs left fielder wins for the third-straight season
The Rawlings Gold Glove Awards were announced this evening and for the third-straight season, the Cubs’ Ian Happ was given the award for the top defender in left field in the National League.
Happ is the first Cubs’ outfielder to win a Gold Glove three years in a row. He was tied for the major league lead in outfield assists by a left fielder with 11. Happ led all National League left fielders with eight defensive runs saved and his fielding percentage of .997 was tied with the Brewers’ Jackson Chourio for the league lead in left.
Since the start of Happ’s Gold Glove streak in 2022, he leads all left fielders with 31 assists and is second in the majors with 23 defensive runs saved. Happ leads all left fielders with 445 games in left since 2022 and 3,280 innings. He also has recorded 834 putouts and has committed just seven errors, which is the fourth-fewest of all qualified left fielders over that time.
Here’s Happ robbing Yankees catcher Austin Wells of a double in the ivy. [VIDEO]
Happ making a sliding catch up against the wall in Pittsburgh off the bat of Isiah Kiner-Falefa. [VIDEO]
Happ throws out Guardians’ Austin Hedges trying for a double [VIDEO]
Here is Happ robbing the Cardinals Pedro Pagés of a hit. [VIDEO]
Other Cubs who have won three-straight Gold Gloves are first baseman Anthony Rizzo (2018 to 2020) and pitcher Greg Maddux, who won three-straight Gold Gloves with the Cubs twice (1990 to 1992 and 2004 to 2006). First baseman Mark Grace won four-straight Gold Gloves from 1992 to 1996 and second baseman Ryne Sandberg won nine times in a row from 1983 to 1991.
Other Cubs outfielders who have won Gold Gloves are Bob Dernier (1984), Andre Dawson (1987 and 1988) and Jason Heyward (2016 and 2017).
Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson was also a “finalist” for the Gold Glove Award at shortstop (meaning he finished in the top three in voting), but the award went to Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar. Swanson won the award last season and in 2022 with the Braves.