“San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. dominated the glove with teammate Ha Sung Kim, forming quite the defensive duo in 2023.”
Tatis Jr. was named the 2023 Fielding Bible Award winner in the right field category by Sports Info Solutions (SIS) on Sunday. The Fielding Bible Award recognizes the best defensive player of the season. Tatis Jr.’s teammate, Ha Sung Kim, was nominated for two Gold Glove awards, but did not win.
Tatis Jr. made his big league debut with San Diego in 2019. He was the starting shortstop for the Padres. Unfortunately, injuries prevented him from playing a full season, but he had a successful rookie campaign, batting .317 (106-for-334) with 22 home runs, 53 RBI, a .379 on-base percentage, a .590 slugging percentage, and a .969 OPS in 84 games. He also finished third in Rookie of the Year honors. 토스카지노
In 2020 and 2021, Tatis won the Silver Slugger Award at shortstop for the second straight season and established himself as one of the best offensive shortstops in the majors. In 2021, he led the National League (NL) in home runs with a 42-homer arch and became the fourth shortstop in major league history to hit 40 home runs.
However, his entire 2022 season was lost. A broken wrist sidelined him for the first half of the season, and before he could return for the second half, he was suspended for 80 games for using a banned substance. Eventually, Tatis Jr. underwent postponed left shoulder surgery and a second wrist surgery, putting him on hold for the 2023 season.
In 2022, Kim stepped into the starting shortstop role in Tatis’ absence and proved to be a defensive stalwart. His solid defense helped San Diego reach the National League Championship Series, and in 2023, Tatis Jr. moved to right field.
The 2023 season began with a broken tooth. Tatis Jr. played impeccable defense in right field. He used his quick feet to cover the outfield and his strong shoulders to hold runners in check, which is unbelievable for a first-year big league outfielder.
He finished first in the right field category for the 2023 Fielding Bible Award, beating out Alex Verdugo of the Boston Red Sox and Ramon Loriano of the Cleveland Indians. Tatis Jr. had a +29 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) in right field, beating out runners-up Verdugo and Loriano (+9 DRS).
“An argument can be made that Tatis Jr. has become the best all-around player in the league since moving to the outfield,” wrote Fan Nation in the U.S. on Aug. 28, “and his defense has us excited for the 2024 season.”
They also praised Kim, who became the first Korean to be named a Gold Glove finalist in two categories (second baseman and utility). ”Tatis Jr. and teammate Kim have been quite the defensive duo this season, dominating with the glove,” Fan Nation wrote.
Now, the best defensive duo of the season has their eyes set on the Gold Glove. Tatis Jr. and Ha-Sung Kim are finalists in the National League’s Right Field and Second Base-Utility categories, respectively.