Houston Astros utility player Mauricio Duvon, 29, says his Gold Glove nomination means a lot to him.
“I’m really happy,” Duvon said of his Gold Glove nomination in an interview ahead of Game 3 of the Championship Series against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Monday (April 19).
He has played every position except pitcher and catcher this season. He started the season as the starting second baseman in place of Jose Altuve, who was injured during the World Baseball Classic, but played more games in the outfield after August.
As a result, he was named a Gold Glove finalist in two categories: American League second baseman and utility. He, Mookie Betts (Dodgers), and Ha-Sung Kim (San Diego) are the only other finalists in both categories.먹튀검증
“I thought I did a pretty good job defensively,” he said, “and I didn’t expect to be nominated in two categories. But it’s nice to finally be recognized for my defense.”
He credits bench coach Joe Espada, first base coach Omar Lopez, and teammate Jose Altuve with helping him along the way.
“When I make a mistake, he tells me not to worry too much and to trust my instincts. He told me not to worry too much when I made a mistake and to trust my instincts, and that really helped me.”
With seven positions to prepare for, he says, “I have to be ready to play any position every day. I try not to make mistakes on defense, but they happen, and I think it’s okay to make mistakes, but you know you have to prepare yourself the right way,” he said of his pride in being a utility player.
Duvon, who made his big league debut in 2019, wasn’t a high-profile player before, but his life changed after he was traded to Houston from the San Francisco Giants in May of last year.
“It was the biggest thing in my career,” he said of the trade. “I think I’ve gotten sharper since then, a little bit stronger. But my ability hasn’t changed. It was a matter of having the opportunity. The Astros gave me a chance to show that I can do it,” he said of the significance of the trade.
“San Francisco had questions about his defensive ability in the left side of the infield, and they thought Duvon’s best position was in center field,” said manager Dusty Baker. “It’s really rare to find a utility that can play most of the infield and center field. He’s done a really good job,” he said of Duvon.