Leake earns AL Gold Glove Award

Despite finishing the season in the National League with the D-backs, Mike Leake’s first career Gold Glove Award will say Mariners on the plaque and is an American League award. Leake, who was traded to Arizona at the July 31 Trade Deadline, showed enough defensive prowess and qualified for the award in the AL before his departure.

There’s precedent for players winning for a team and in a league they did not finish the season in -- in fact, Zack Greinke, who was traded from the D-backs to the Astros at the Trade Deadline, won the National League award this year, too.

? 2019 Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners

Leake is the second Mariners pitcher to win a Gold Glove, joining Mark Langston, who won in both 1987 and '88.

Leake finished tied for first among AL pitchers with Lucas Giolito in SDI, the evaluation method that combines multiple defensive metrics which accounts for part of the decision in selecting Gold Gloves. The stat was developed in conjunction with the Society for American Baseball Research.

One way to highlight Leake’s defensive aptitude is his ground ball rate -- which is close to 50%. Despite all of those batted balls in front of him, though, Leake made just one error all season.

As one of the AL's nine Gold Glove winners, Leake is now eligible for the Platinum Glove Award, which is given to the best defensive player from each league. Voting for the award, which was established in 2011, is open at Rawlings.com and will continue until 8:59 p.m. PT on Thursday. The two league winners will be announced on Friday.