Chandler Simpson’s Wednesday morning in Cleveland began with an Instagram notification and ended with another sign of how dramatically his game has changed. The Rays left fielder, once viewed as a defensive work in progress, has been named one of three finalists for the 2026 American League Gold Glove Award in left field.
Key takeaways
- Simpson joins Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger and Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford as finalists for the AL left-field honor.
- His Outs Above Average climbed from minus-5 in 2025 to plus-8 this season.
- Simpson improved from minus-9 Defensive Runs Saved last year to plus-8 in 2026.
- Rays manager Kevin Cash credited Simpson’s commitment along with the daily work of first-base coach Corey Dickerson.
- Tampa Bay enters ALCS Game 4 on Saturday night trailing Cleveland two games to one.
A left fielder remade through offseason work
Simpson, 25, first learned of the nomination while scrolling through his phone at the team hotel. He saw a post in which he had been tagged, took in the news and had a simple reaction: “Oh, wow. OK, cool.”
There was much more behind that quiet response. Defense was a clear priority for Simpson after a difficult 2025, when his minus-5 Outs Above Average ranked in the 11th percentile across the Majors. A year later, he finished at plus-8, placing him in the 93rd percentile. His Defensive Runs Saved total made the same kind of turn, moving 17 runs in the right direction from minus-9 to plus-8.
“It means a lot,” Simpson said. “After the things I needed to address after last year, it became a major part of my development in the offseason and into this season. I’m happy I made substantial progress late in the year. I put in the work, and that’s what I’m about. I tried to do that all season, and I’m glad it produced results.”
The 2022 Competitive Balance Round B selection has always had game-changing speed, rated at the top end of the scale. This season, that athleticism began showing up more consistently in the outfield. Better reads off the bat, sharper positioning and growing confidence with the glove have helped Simpson turn range into actual outs.
Cash called Simpson’s jump one of the best stories of Tampa Bay’s season. While the manager emphasized that Simpson earned the recognition himself, he also pointed to Dickerson, the club’s first-base coach and a former Major League outfielder, as a constant presence in the player’s daily defensive routine.
“Chandler deserves all the credit,” Cash said, “but Corey Dickerson has been right alongside him. You see the conversations they have and the work they do every day.”
Dickerson’s challenge and the Rays’ October defense
Dickerson’s influence has reached beyond Simpson. Tampa Bay has seen improved defensive numbers from outfielders Jonny DeLuca and Cedric Mullins as well, even though Mullins already brought an established defensive reputation to the club.
When Simpson arrived at Progressive Field after the finalists were announced, Dickerson greeted him with a reminder that carried both a joke and a challenge: “It’s better if you win it.” Simpson smiled at the message and said he agreed.
Simpson was quick to share credit with his coach. “He’s been a huge help,” he said. “I know I did the work, but his guidance, his knowledge and everything he’s given me have meant a lot. I appreciate him.”
The Rays will need that kind of clean defense as they attempt to level the American League Championship Series. Cleveland holds a 2-1 edge heading into Game 4 on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. For a Tampa Bay club that has leaned heavily on its work in the field, Simpson’s transformation has become particularly meaningful in October.
Shortstop Taylor Walls, himself a Gold Glove finalist, said Simpson’s nomination confirms the value of an offseason spent attacking a weakness rather than avoiding it.
“People were saying last year that he was among the worst defenders, and now he’s a finalist with a chance to win,” Walls said. “That’s awesome. I can only imagine how proud he is. It shows that the work he put in during the offseason paid off. He’ll keep working and keep getting better, whether he wins this one or not.”
