The Chicago Cubs had six players named finalists for gold glove awards for the 2025 season and three ended up being winners. Pete Crow-Armstrong won what should be the first of many gold gloves for his work in center field, while Nico Hoerner earned his second gold glove at second baae. Then, there was Ian Happ, who has now won the National League gold glove award in left field for the fourth consecutive year and boy are the haters furious.
I mean, Happ gets plenty of hate from large portions of his own fan base, but despite the unimpressive defensive metrics for his 2025 season Happ was the rightful winner. Hate the game. not the player. The other two finalists for the gold glove award in left field for the National League were Tommy Pham and Kyle Stowers.
Here's how the three left fielders stacked up against each other in 2025.
Ian Happ: 9 defensive runs saved, 0 outs above average, 5 assists, 1 error, .997 fielding %
Tommy Pham: 5 defensive runs saved, -2 outs above average, 6 assists, 3 errors, .986 fielding %
Kyle Stowers: 2 defensive runs saved, -1 outs above average, 5 assists, 1 error, .993 fielding %
Truth is, there just weren't many great defensive left fielders in the National League this year. Happ led the league with nine defensive runs saved and he was tied with Brandon Nimmo of the New York Mets with zero outs above average in 2025.
The competition simply wasn't there and whether you like it or not, Happ 100% deserved to win the gold glove award for left field in 2025 over Pham and Stowers in the National League.
Milwaukee Brewers fans are pissed off because Isaac Collins was for starters not one of the finalists and subsequently not the winner despite his MLB-best six outs above average in left field in 2025. However, Collins I guess didn't meet the qualifications for innings this year in left field. Again, hate the game, not the player.
And with Happ's fourth straight gold glove award, he's now the all-time leader for outfielders in Cubs franchise history.
Since becoming an ever-day left fielder in 2022, Happ has posted a 13.3 fWAR, which ranks No. 5 overall among all left fielders in both leagues. He's also tied for 9th at the position since 2022, with a combined 119 wRC+. Solid player, who gets way too much hate.
Happ is under contract with the Cubs through 2026. He'll earn $20.33 million next year before becoming a free agent.
