Rockies rookie is a finalist for a major award

Colorado Rockies rookie TJ Rumfield was named a finalist Wednesday for a Rawlings Gold Glove Award at first base.

Rumfield, 26, is one of three National League first basemen up for the award. The other two are Atlanta’s Matt Olson and San Diego’s Ty France. He is the only Rockies player to be named a finalist this year.

Rumfield played 139 of his 155 games at first base this season. He made seven errors and finished with six defensive runs saved. Statcast gave him a fielding run value at the 69th percentile, noting his range in the 81st percentile in baseball.

He will have to beat two veterans who have won before. Olson and France have four Gold Gloves between them. Olson leads NL first basemen with 11 outs above average, and France leads the position with 15 defensive runs saved.

The Rockies note that Rumfield is one of five rookies since 1901 to have a season with at least 1,150 innings played at first base and seven or fewer errors, joining Todd Helton (1998), Travis Lee (1998, ARI), Freddie Freeman (2011, ATL), and Nolan Schanuel (2024, LAA).

Rumfield also produced at the plate. He was named NL Rookie of the Month in back-to-back months, finishing with an .843 OPS making him worth 3.5 WAR, which ranks best among all Rockies this year.

Before the season began, Rumfield received the Rockies’ Abby Greer Award for his work on and off the field during spring training. The Rockies added him to the major league roster from Triple-A Albuquerque. He is the first hit transaction of the new regime leading the Rockies led by Paul DePodesta and Josh Byrnes, coming over in a trade from the New York Yankees for reliever Angel Chivilli.

Gold Glove winners will be announced Sunday, Nov. 1.

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