The 2018 Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award winners have been announced and the Oakland Athletics third baseman Matt Chapman took both the overall Defensive Player of the Year, as well as best Third Baseman. The Third Base award has only been handed out for the last 5 years and he became the 3rd player to win it given that Nolan Arenado had held the award from 2015-2017.
Overall Defense of the year went to the Arizona Diamondbacks who collected it for the second time in four years. A little surprising given that they not only missed the postseason but allowed 110 runs more than the Houston Astros (644 as opposed to 534); go figure that one.
Andrelton Simmons took the award at shortstop and in doing so picked up his fifth overall the most any player has received since the award was established in 2012. The closest to him is Colorado’s DJ LeMahieu and Kansas City’s Alex Gordon each won three awards. Overall the winners were as follows:
Defensive Player of the Year: Matt Chapman – Oakland Athletics
Pitcher: Zack Greinke – Arizona Dimonbacks
Catcher: Mike Zunino, – Seattle Mariners
First base: Freddie Freeman – Atlanta Braves
Second base: DJ LeMahieu, Colorado Rockies
Third base: Matt Chapman – Oakland Athletics
Shortstop: Andrelton Simmons – LA Angels
Left field: Alex Gordon Kansas City Royals
Centre field: Kevin Kiermaier – Tampa Bay Rays
Right field: Mookie Betts – Boston Red Sox
