Dodgers fans shouldn't be concerned about 2024 Gold Glove absence

The winners of the 2024 Gold Glove Awards were announced on Sunday night, and two Dodgers were in the running. Will Smith was nominated at the catcher position, along with Patrick Bailey of the Giants and Gabriel Moreno of the Diamondbacks, while Kiké Hernández represented LA in the utility category up against Brendan Donovan of the Cardinals and Jared Triolo of the Pirates.

It was both Smith and Hernández's first nominations, though Hernández also has two Fielding Bible Awards.

Eventually, both were edged out by Bailey and Triolo, also first-time nominees.

Although it is disappointing that the Dodgers went unrepresented in this year's Gold Glove crop, it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise.

Dodgers' Will Smith, Kiké Hernández passed over for 2024 Gold Glove Awards

Bailey had a fantastic year behind the plate for the division rival Giants, with elite caught stealing and above average framing and pop time numbers. He graded out as the best catcher in baseball this year per Baseball Savant, landing in the 100th percentile despite a more lackluster grade for his blocking. Smith's blocking and pop time both regressed this year, but he was the best backstop in baseball for CS above average.

After taking a dramatic and sort of inexplicable dip in 2023, Hernández's defense improved drastically this season through appearances at almost every position except right field and catcher. Donovan might be the more surprising snub, as he graded better than either Hernández or Triolo at defense this year, but the fact that he played fewer positions than either of them might've hurt his argument.

Smith and Hernández shouldn't lose too much sleep over this, though. They walked away with World Series rings this year, and Smith, under contract until 2034, has almost a decade worth of extra chances with the Dodgers to get his Gold Glove.