Jonathan Schoop has been here before with nothing to show.
As recently as 2020, he was a finalist for the American League Gold Glove Award as a second baseman. Once again, in 2022, the Detroit Tigers infielder is among the three top candidates vying for the award.
The 10-year MLB veteran, who has a $7.5 million player option on the table, is joined by Andrés Giménez (Cleveland Guardians) and Marcus Semien (Texas Rangers) as a finalist, announced Thursday by Rawlings Baseball.
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Unlike Giménez and Semien, Schoop had a career-worst season at the plate. He finished with a 57 wRC+, batting just .202 with 11 home runs in 131 games. He had hit 20-plus homers in five-straight full seasons, from 2016-21. Offense often creeps its way into the opinions of the voters (the manager and up to six coaches from each team). Still, the award is about defense, and if that holds true, Schoop has a chance to win.
The last Tiger to win a Gold Glove was second baseman Ian Kinsler in 2016. Four Tigers second basemen have won: Kinsler (2016), Plácido Polanco (2007, 2009), Lou Whitaker (1983-85) and Frank Bolling (1958).
“The Gold Glove is the Gold Glove,” Schoop said Sept. 29. “There’s nothing about hitting. Or just call it Silver Slugger, not Gold Glove. In the past, I’ve had really good numbers and they didn’t give it to me when I hit better than any second baseman. I think a Gold Glove is a Gold Glove.”
Schoop, who just turned 30, led all MLB players with plus-27 outs above average and ranked first in defensive runs above average, a combination of Fangraphs’ fielding runs and positional adjustment metrics, with a value of plus-22.3. He was worth plus-8 defensive runs saved, fourth among eight qualified American League second basemen and trailing Giménez (plus-16), Semien (plus-13) and Gleyber Torres (plus-9).
Schoop turned 86 double plays and had a .994 fielding percentage, making three errors in 523 chances.
He started 129 games at second base.
Five days after the conclusion of the 2022 World Series, Schoop needs to decide whether to return to the Tigers for the final year of his contract or enter free agency. He could be the Opening Day second baseman again in 2023.