Braves' Ender Inciarte, Nick Markakis named Gold Glove finalists
This should come as no surprise given the spectacular plays that he made the norm during his first season with the Braves. Ender Inciarte was among those named Gold Glove finalist Thursday, and the center fielder has company, with teammate Nick Markakis also making the cut at right field.
Inciarte is joined by the Reds' Billy Hamilton and Phillies' Odubel Herrera, while Markakis is contending with the Cubs' Jason Heyward -- the player Markakis replaced at the position in Atlanta -- and the Rockies' Carlos Gonzalez.
Winners will be announced Nov. 9.
Inciarte's 13 defensive runs saved trailed only Hamilton (15) at the position, and he is also behind the Cincinnati star in defensive WAR (13.4 to Hamilton's 14.9). But Inciarte supplied one of the season's best catches as he robbed the Mets' Yoenis Cespedes of a walk-off three-run home run Sept. 22 in New York, reaching over the right-center wall to make the grab.
Acquired in the Shelby Miller deal with the Diamondbacks that also brought Dansby Swanson and Aaron Blair to the Braves, the 28-year-old Inciarte hit .291/.351/.381 with three home runs, 24 doubles, seven triples and 29 RBI. He also stole 16 bases.
This is Inciarte's first time being named a Gold Glove finalist.
It's also a first for Markakis, at least in the National League, though he has two Gold Gloves to his credit with wins in 2011 and '14 with the Orioles.
The 33-year-old's 10 DRS ranked second among NL right fielders, trailing Heyward's 14, though he led the league at the position with 311 putouts.
He hit .269/.346/.397 with 13 home runs -- a resurgence given his three HRs in 684 plate appearances in '15 -- with 38 doubles and 89 RBI.
Inciarte and Markakis continue a trend for the Braves, who have had at least one Gold Glove finalist since 2011, including three in '14 and four in '12. It's the fourth time in the last six years they've had at least two, with Heyward and Andrelton Simmons the last pair in 2014.
Follow Cory McCartney on Twitter @coryjmccartney and Facebook. His book, 'Tales from the Atlanta Braves Dugout: A Collection of the Greatest Braves Stories Ever Told,' is out now, and 'The Heisman Trophy: The Story of an American Icon and Its Winners' will be released Nov. 22, 2016.
