Braves Shining Defense Projected to Win Three Awards

The Atlanta Braves offense has left a lot to be desired during the 2025 MLB season. But the Braves have been sneaky good in the field.

Entering the series finale against the New York Mets on Thursday, the Braves lead the MLB with 57 defensive runs saved. The Braves have, by far, the best mark in the category. The Chicago Cubs are second with 43 runs saved.

So, it’s only fitting that the Braves are among the leaders in projected Gold Glove winners as the 2025 season approaches its midpoint.

On Tuesday, MLB.com’s Andrew Simon and Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru predicted all 20 Gold Glove winners for this season. The writers projected three Braves to win the honor — first baseman Matt Olson, shortstop Nick Allen and starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach.

“Olson was a two-time Gold Glover with the A’s (2018-19) but hasn’t won since, in part because Christian Walker has provided some stiff competition since Olson’s arrival in the NL, winning each of the past three years,” wrote Simon and Sepe-Chepuru. “Walker’s offseason move to Houston opened the door for Olson, who has responded with 8 Outs Above Average, easily the most among first basemen.”

Olson is on pace to finish around 30 home runs again this season. After he had 29 last year, the hope was he would be closer to his 2023 National League-leading 54 bombs in 2025.

But Olson does have an OPS 55 points higher than last season and playing extremely well in the field.

At shortstop, the Braves aren’t getting much offense with Nick Allen, but the veteran is excelling in the field.

“It didn’t exactly make waves when the Braves acquired Allen from the A’s for a Minor League pitcher last November, but the 26-year-old quickly wound up snatching Atlanta’s starting shortstop job away from Orlando Arcia,” wrote Simon and Sepe-Chepuru. “Allen has held on to it, despite a sub-.600 OPS, in large part because he’s right behind Witt for the MLB lead in Outs Above Average, with 12.

“Our panel also has the Cardinals’ Masyn Winn, the Cubs’ Dansby Swanson and the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts — all much bigger names — in the mix at this position. But it’s Allen seemingly in the lead.”

The third projected Gold Glove winner for the Braves will probably surprise most fans. It’s not center fielder Michael Harris II, but starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach.

“Leading all pitchers with 6 DRS, Schwellenbach was the unanimous choice in the NL, which would certainly be in keeping with recent history. A win for the young right-hander would make it two in a row and five of six for the Braves rotation after Fried (2020-22) and Chris Sale (2024).”

The Braves have dominated the pitcher Gold Glove category for more than a generation. Since 1993, a Braves pitcher has won the award 15 times. Greg Maddux won it 10 consecutive seasons from 1993-2002, and then Mike Hampton extended the streak another year in 2003.

Max Fried won the award three straight seasons from 2020-22. MLB.com projected Fried to win the award for the American League this season.

In center fielder, the MLB writers predicted Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong to win the NL Gold Glove. That’s likely a disappointing prediction for Braves Country. The one area where Harris is excelling this year is in the field, but it apparently hasn’t been enough to make him the favorite to win the NL CF Gold Glove.

Atlanta’s three projected winners on the list was tied for the most with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Related Posts

🚨BREAKING: Yankees just landed a pitcher with ace-level upside — and the early whispers are turning heads across the league. Scouts see flashes of something special, front offices are quietly taking notice, and fans are starting to wonder if this move was bigger than it first appeared. The real question is how soon this arm could change everything in the Bronx 👇👇👇

Yankees Landed a New Pitcher With Legitimate Ace Potential The New York Yankees entered the offseason knowing that starting pitching depth would be one of their most…

🚨BREAKING: Cubs fans will love Alex Bregman’s latest quote on challenging the Dodgers! The Chicago star didn’t shy away from the moment, delivering a confident message that instantly fired up the fanbase and hinted at how seriously the Cubs would embrace a postseason showdown. It’s the kind of mindset that changes expectations and makes rivals pay attention 👇👇👇

Cubs Fans Will Love Alex Bregman’s Latest Quote on Challenging the Dodgers The Chicago Cubs entered the offseason with a clear and unapologetic objective: not simply to…

🚨 ASTROS BOMBSHELL: Houston’s Explosive 2-Trade Proposals Surface Involving Padres and Angels – Massive MLB Roster Shake-Ups Set to Redefine the AL West Power Struggle!

The Houston Astros could still make some moves before the 2026 MLB season gets here. Free agency is mostly finished up for teams, so trades could loom…

🚨 CUBS PRESSURE COOKER: MLB Analyst Lights a Fire Under Moises Ballesteros – “Time to Step Up or Get Left Behind” in Brutal Performance Ultimatum!

The Chicago Cubs have had an excellent offseason thus far. They made several moves to address their needs and come out as contenders in the NL Central….

🚨 RED SOX FANS VINDICATED: Chaim Bloom’s Disastrous Cardinals Tenure Proves He Was NEVER the Right Fit for Boston – From Tank Mode Disaster to Another Franchise Meltdown!

Aug 28, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chaim Bloom, Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox on the field before the game between the Boston Red Sox…

🚨 GIANTS BOMBSHELL: San Francisco Pushed Into Aggressive $56 Million Trade Pursuit – Desperate Move to Finally End Years of Rotation Misery!

Getty The San Francisco Giants were called the “best trade fit” for St. Louis Cardinals All-Star Brendan Donovan. Buster Posey and the San Francisco Giants have not…