Despite Stellar Defense, Former Rockies Star Still Without Gold Glove

While his defense continues to shine, this former Rockie just can't seem to land the Gold Glove Award.
Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Colorado Rockies fans finally had something great to look forward to with the announcement of the Gold Glove Award winners. At least from a distance that is. Rockies fans will have to remember how good their former player was and hope to gain a little credit for his success.

Entering the finals, former Rockie Ryan McMahon was pitted against Cincinnati Reds' Ke'Bryan Hayes and Matt Shaw from the Chicago Cubs. McMahon who started the year with Colorado, was traded to the New York Yankees mid-season for two minor league pitchers, Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz.

McMahon has been considered one of the MLB's most consistent defenders for a long time now, so him making the top three should not have been a shock. In fact, McMahon has been so good at his position, he has been in the top three the last four years in a row.

In just 54 games with the Yankees, McMahon posted a fielding percentage of .971 while also hitting four home runs. While with Colorado in 2025 he posted a .978 fielding percentage and slugged 16 home runs.

It is fitting that McMahon earned yet another top-three finish in the Gold Glove category as his chapter with the Rockies came to a close. He was drafted by Colorado in the second round of the 2013 MLB June Amateur draft. He played eight years with the team before finding himself moving across the country to don the stripes of the New York Yankees.

McMahon's case for the award was strong in numbers, but given that he changed League's mid-year, it was hard to believe he would win.

He has exceptional range and reaction time on the hot corner. Both teams he played for this year knew they could count on him for his reliability, arm strength and ability to turn tough plays into everyday accomplishments.

Setting aside the accolade, McMahon's defensive excellence has become a constant, regardless of what jersey he puts on. His leadership and consistency on the field amplify his value to each team.

For a team that struggled in almost every aspect of play, McMahon was a bright spot the Rockies could count on.

The Gold Glove went to Ke'Bryan Hayes who had an incredible year and honestly his stats really led this category. With a +19 Defensive Runs Saved and a +21 Outs Above Average, Hayes was clearly deserving of the award.


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Laura Lambert
LAURA LAMBERT

Laura Lambert resides in Wiggins, Colo. with her husband, Ricky and two sons, Brayden and Boedy. She attended the University of Northern Colorado while studying economics. She is an accomplished rodeo athlete and barrel horse trainer along with being a life-long sports fan. Over the years, Laura has been active in journalism in a variety of roles. While continuing to cover western sports and country music, she is currently enjoying expanding her reach into multiple sports including MLB, NFL, and WNBA. Laura covers the Miami Marlins, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, Connecticut Sun and Rodeo for On SI. You can reach her at lauralambertmedia@gmail.com