One of the bright spots for the Houston Astros this season was their defense. A few weeks ago, utility man Mauricio Dubón and right fielder Cam Smith earned Gold Glove nominations at their respective positions. With all of the Astros’ injuries this season, Dubón maximized his potential all over the field and played a huge role for the team defensively.
Mauricio Dubón Takes Home Second Utility Gold Glove
Golden Once Again
On Sunday, Dubón won his second American League utility Gold Glove Award. This recognition has been given out since 2022, and Dubón has won it twice in those four seasons. He last received it in 2023 and has been nominated three times in a row. As a result, he is the first player in MLB history to win multiple utility Gold Gloves.
The glove stays gold.
Congratulations to Mauricio Dubón on his second @RawlingsSports Gold Glove Award! pic.twitter.com/6RsarCYDeN
— Houston Astros (@astros) November 3, 2025
Dubón beat out fellow finalists Ernie Clement of the Toronto Blue Jays and Daniel Schneemann of the Cleveland Guardians. He became just the seventh Astros player to win multiple Gold Gloves and the only position player to do so in the AL. The most recent Houston player to win multiple Gold Gloves was pitcher Dallas Keuchel. He won four of them (2014-16, 2018). Dubón joins names such as Craig Biggio, Cesar Cedeno, Brad Ausmus, and Michael Bourn on the premier multiple Gold Glove list for the Astros.
The Definition of Super Utility
Dubón is the only Astros player to start at seven different positions for consecutive years. This season, he played every defensive position except pitcher and catcher. The 31-year-old made 104 starts for the Astros, with 37 of them at second base. That is the position where he played the most innings, at 318. However, his flexibility became crucial down the stretch when Houston had multiple key injuries.
For the utility award, Rawlings and the SABR defensive index collaborated to create a specialized defensive formula to choose a winner, different from the traditional selection process. According to SABR, Dubón ranked second in the AL at second base. Besides that, the Honduras native made 24 starts at shortstop and 15 each at third base and left field. Additionally, he had 10 starts at center, two in right, and even one at first base.
His numbers were elite defensively across the board. Dubón ranked in the 99th percentile for outs above average (OAA) with 20. That mark was good for third among AL players. Dubón had 14 defensive runs saved and a plus-17 fielding run value, ranked sixth in MLB.
A Fan Favorite
The Astros originally acquired Dubón in a trade with the San Francisco Giants back in May 2022 for minor league catcher Michael Papierski. That move went under the radar, but Dubón did not. He played a key role off the bench and helped Houston win the 2022 World Series. The next season, he played five different positions and was a Gold Glove finalist at second base and the utility spot. Dubón also hit a clutch home run late in the season in Seattle that was a key moment in the Astros’ winning the AL West division for the seventh straight full season.
The 6-foot, 173-lb Dubón hit seven homers and drove in 33 runs, along with 89 hits in 369 plate appearances. The numbers may not be high, but he has a knack for delivering when the Astros really need it. In 2023, Dubón had a .278 average and .720 OPS with 10 home runs and 130 hits in 132 games.
Through his elite glove and amazing versatility, Dubón has made a name for himself as one of the best utility players in baseball.
His role continues to grow, and he even appears in commercials in the Houston area. The fans love him for his fun personality, and he remains an important member of the clubhouse. Dubón has one more season in Houston before he becomes a free agent in 2026.
Main Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
The post Astros Utility Man Cements Defensive Reputation with Second Gold Glove appeared first on Last Word On Baseball.