So, apparently teams win awards of all kinds when they make the playoff. Another set of award nominations have been bestowed on Astros. Pitcher Dallas Keuchel, second baseman Jose Altuve, and catcher Jason Castro are finalists for a 2015 Rawlings Gold Glove award.
Keuchel won the 2014 Gold Glove Award for American League Pitchers -- he looks to repeat following another year where he led the American League in fielding opportunities (72), assists (53), and range factor (2.75).
The Blue Jays Mark Buehrle and Athletics Sonny Gary are the other two finalists. Gray led the American League in putouts (37), had zero errors, and was second in fielding opportunities (60). Buehrle had four double plays started this season.
Castro had a .999 fielding percentage in 2015 with one error, and he ranked fifth in the American League (36.4 percent, 24-of 66) in throwing out runners this season. The Astros backstop finished with the third highest defense WAR (1.2) behind the Caleb Joseph and Salvador Perez.
The Blue Jays' Russell Martin and Royal's Perez are the other two finalists. Perez led the league in fielding opportunities(1,068), assists (90), double plays started (10), and was second in putouts (974) and DWAR (1.5). Martin led the league in caught stealing percentage (.444), and was second in assists (71).
Jose Altuve finished with 247 putouts, fourth-best in the American league. Altuve had the third-highest number of assists (417) and the highest fielding percentage (.993), and fifth-highest range factor (4.49).
Brian Dozier and Ian Kinsler join Altuve as finalist. Dozier (767, 303, 456) and Kinsler (727, 289, 425) are one and two in defensive chances, putouts, and assists.