So when will Mike Trout win the elusive Gold Glove Award?
Honestly, it’s going to be a tough one for him. The American League is stacked with defensive specialists patrolling the middle of the outfield. While Trout is a great defender, he falls just short of being named alongside the most elite AL center fielders.
This season was made especially tough as Trout missed a large portion of the year due to injury, while also logging extra games as a designated hitter.
While it’s always possible for Trout to win the Gold Glove due to his elite athleticism and route running, unless Kevin Kiermaier and Byron Buxton miss a lot of a season, get traded, or decline in skill, Trout will always be an underdog in this award.