PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates had some strong performers on defense, and two players were amongst the best in baseball.
Pirates duo Brandon Lowe and Jared Triolo are both National League Gold Glove Award finalists, with Lowe at second base and Triolo at utility.
Lowe goes up against NL Central Divisional foes for the award, JJ Wetherholt (St. Louis Cardinals) and Brice Turang (Milwaukee Brewers), while Triolo will battle Mauricio Dubón (Atlanta Braves) and Ildemaro Vargas (Arizona Diamondbacks).
It would be a big honor for both to win, but they face stiff competition for the accolade.
Lowe Faces Uphill Battle for NL 2B Gold Glove Award
There weren't many players who made more defensive improvements than Lowe did in 2026, going from one of the worst second basemen in the field to one of the best.
Lowe posted -14 outs above average (OAA), -10 Fielding Run Value (FRV) and -14 defensive runs saved, with the first two the worst marks and the latter the second-worst mark for any second baseman in 2025.
The Pirates acquired Lowe in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, and he immediately became one of the best defensive second basemen.
Lowe put up +10 OAA, +13 DRS and +12 FRV in 2026, the first mark as the second-best and the latter two the third-best marks in 2026.
While those numbers are great, especially for Lowe, both Wetherholt and Turang beat him out in all three categories.
NL Second Base Gold Glove Award Finalists
Player | Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) | Outs Above Average (OAA) | Fielding Run Value (FRV) |
|---|---|---|---|
Brandon Lowe | +13 | +10 | +12 |
JJ Wetherholt | +13 | +25 ✅ | +23 ✅ |
Brice Turang | +23 ✅ | +14 | +14 |
Wetherholt likely wins it, but Lowe should still take pride in having the amazing season that he did.
Jared Triolo Could Win Second Gold Glove
Triolo won his first Gold Glove Award in 2024 and was a finalist in 2025, although he arguably should've won it back-to-back.
He can play all four infield spots and even played a little in right field, but spent most of his time at third base and shortstop.
The Pirates used Triolo when rookie Konnor Griffin missed time with his two injured list stints, and he played at third base throughout the year, with Nick Gonzales featuring there more for the Pirates.
Triolo was strong at second base, where he only played 80 innings, and advanced stats were split on both shortstop and third base.
Jared Triolo Advanced Defensive Stats 2026
Position (Innings Played) | Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) | Outs Above Average (OAA) | Fielding Run Value (FRV) |
|---|---|---|---|
First Base (27.0) | +1 | +1 | 0 |
Second Base (80.0) | +3 ✅ | +2 ✅ | +2 ✅ |
Third Base (260.1) | +1 | +2 ✅ | +1 ✅ |
Shortstop (527.2) | +4 ✅ | -1 | 0 |
Right Field (24.0) | -1 | -1 | -1 |
Total | +8 ✅ | +3 | +2 |
Triolo's main competition is Dubón, who played all infield spots, besides first base, and played mostly in left field and also in center field.
Vargas was excellent at first base, but his second base wasn't spectacular and he didn't really play anywhere else, making him less of a utility than Triolo or Dubón.
Mauricio Dubón Advanced Defensive Stats 2026
Position (Innings Played) | Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) | Outs Above Average (OAA) | Fielding Run Value (FRV) |
|---|---|---|---|
Second Base (34.0) | -1 | 0 | 0 |
Third Base (46.0) | +2 ✅ | +1 | 0 |
Shortstop (456.2) | +1 | +5 ✅ | +3 ✅ |
Left Field (663.1) | +3 ✅ | -2 | 0 |
Center Field (125.0) | +1 ✅ | +1 ✅ | +1 ✅ |
Total | +6 | +5 ✅ | +4 ✅ |
Ildemaro Vargas Advanced Stats 2026
Position (Innings Played) | Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) | Outs Above Average (OAA) | Fielding Run Value (FRV) |
|---|---|---|---|
First Base (486.1) | +7 ✅ | +2 ✅ | +3 ✅ |
Second Base (446.2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Third Base (25.0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | +7 | +2 | +3 |
Triolo leads with +8 DRS, but Dubón leads with +5 OAA and +3 FRV, so that may give him the edge for the Gold Glove.
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