Reds' humiliating Gold Glove distinction reveals major issue Terry Francona must fix

The Rawlings Gold Glove finalist were announced earlier this week, and no player from the Cincinnati Reds roster was among them. No, not even the uber-talented Elly De La Cruz. It turns out that 15 outs above average (OAA) doesn't amount to a hill of beans if you lead the league in errors. One of Dansby Swanson, Ezequiel Tovar, or Masyn Winn will take home the Gold Glove among National League shortstops this season.

Without a single representative to be found, this is now the fourth consecutive season that the Reds have failed to have a finalist make the cut. That's outright embarrassing. Though some will say that the Gold Glove Awards aren't as relevant as they used to be (and they're not), it speaks to a larger problem within the Reds organization.

The Reds need to put an emphasis on defense heading into next season, and that will be something that new manager Terry Francona must address with his club when spring training begins next February.

Reds' humiliating Gold Glove distinction reveals major issue Terry Francona must fix

The last Reds player to win a Gold Glove Award was Tucker Barnhart back in 2020. Even that one was a bit skewed. Because of the coronavirus pandemic and Major League Baseball's regional schedule, the SABR Defensive Index took centerstage with votes of both managers and coaches omitted from that year's awards.

There are so many metrics used in today's game that it's difficult to decide which one holds the most water. But when it comes to the Reds' defense, they're near in the bottom-third in nearly every category. In terms of outs above average, the Reds ranked 23rd with -16 OAA. If you're a fan of defensive runs saved, Cincinnati was 28th with -30 DRS. How about the good ole fielding percentage? The Reds are still rank among the worst in baseball with a .983 FLD%, good enough for 27th overall.

Players like De La Cruz, Matt McLain, and even TJ Friedl can play above-average defense. But Francona may have to instill some better habits and fundamentals when it comes to the rest of the Reds roster heading into the 2025 season. If there's one thing that needs improve, perhaps even more than the hitting, it's defense.

More Cincinnati Reds News and Rumors