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Rafaela edges PCA for center-field Fielding Bible Award, as Wilyer Abreu also takes home hardware
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

Sports/The Apex Times/Oct 22, 4:09 PM EDT

Rafaela edges PCA for center-field Fielding Bible Award, as Wilyer Abreu also takes home hardware

Ceddanne Rafaela won the 2026 Fielding Bible Award in center field after a statistical tiebreaker with Pete Crow-Armstrong, while Red Sox teammate Wilyer Abreu captured right field and Chicago’s Cubs claimed Team of the Year.

By The Apex Times Newsroom1 min readAI-assisted Apex article

Major League Baseball’s top defensive specialists were recognized Thursday as the 2026 Fielding Bible Awards were announced by Sports Info Solutions, honoring the best fielders at each position plus additional categories.

In center field, Ceddanne Rafaela of the Red Sox and Pete Crow-Armstrong finished in a mathematical tie for first-place votes, but Rafaela prevailed on a defensive runs saved tiebreaker, holding 21 DRS to Crow-Armstrong’s 16.

Rafaela’s center-field win also ended with a note of shared acclaim: Crow-Armstrong still claimed the Fielding Bible Player of the Year award, which uses votes across all positions rather than being limited to one spot.

Wilyer Abreu added a second Red Sox presence in the outfield awards by winning the right-field Fielding Bible Award. The team’s other position-specific honors came from defenders across the majors, including Dillon Dingler at catcher, Matt Olson at first base, Brice Turang at second base, Alex Bregman at third base, Cody Bellinger at left field, and Tanner Bibee as the pitcher award winner.

The Fielding Bible Awards also include a multi-position category, which went to Zach McKinstry, and an organization-wide Team of the Year designation. The Cubs earned Team of the Year after posting 115 defensive runs saved in the regular season, the most in MLB that year.

Why It Matters

  • The center-field finish highlights how narrow the defensive gap can be in the Fielding Bible voting, with a tiebreaker determining the final winner even when first-place votes are even.
  • Abreu’s right-field award reinforces the Red Sox’s defensive identity in 2026, with two outfield winners recognized in separate positions.
  • Player of the Year being awarded to a different player than the single-position center-field winner underscores that this award picture spans beyond one role at a time.
  • Team of the Year provides a league-wide reference point for organizational defense, with the Cubs separating themselves by defensive runs saved.

Sources

Key Facts

  • The Fielding Bible Awards name top defenders at each of nine positions in MLB, plus awards for multi-position, Player of the Year, and Team of the Year.
  • Ceddanne Rafaela won the center-field award over Pete Crow-Armstrong after a tiebreaker using defensive runs saved (21 DRS to 16).
  • Pete Crow-Armstrong still won Fielding Bible Player of the Year despite losing center field on the tiebreaker.
  • Wilyer Abreu won the right-field Fielding Bible Award after leading MLB with 28 defensive runs saved in 2026.
  • The Cubs won Team of the Year with 115 defensive runs saved, 28 more than any other club.
  • Sports Info Solutions said the awards are voted on by a panel of experts using a mix of defensive statistics, an eye test, and other factors the voters consider.
Rafaela edges PCA for center-field Fielding Bible Award, as Wilyer Abreu also takes home hardware | The Apex Times