Pirates celebrate Jacob Stallings' Gold Glove, get big hit from new catcher Jason Delay

The Pittsburgh Pirates couldn’t have been happier for their former catcher — or prouder of their newest.

On the night Jacob Stallings finally received his 2021 National League Gold Glove Award, the Pirates got solid play behind the plate and a game-winning RBI from Jason Delay in a 3-2 win over the Miami Marlins.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton had lobbied for Stallings to be recognized for his defensive effort. After the Pirates traded Stallings to the Marlins in a four-player deal in late November, Shelton made a request to Rawlings to wait for this series to present the Gold Glove so his former teammates could celebrate the achievement with him.

“Obviously, I was good with that,” Stallings said. “I’m glad I get to share that moment with those guys.”

Jacob Stallings is getting his 2021 Gold Glove Award right now. Hear from him in a few minutes before first pitch! -RI pic.twitter.com/ZcKCUq1OSV

— AT&T SportsNet™ PIT (@ATTSportsNetPIT) July 12, 2022

The Pirates were pumped to see Stallings get his Gold Glove, especially the pitching staff.

“It was awesome,” All-Star closer David Bednar said. “It’s great to see all of his hard work pay off and get that recognition.”

A 2020 NL Gold Glove finalist, Stallings led all major league catchers in defensive runs saved (21) and pitch block rate (95.5%) and didn’t allow passed ball in 892 innings last season to edge nine-time Gold Glove winner Yadier Molina of the St. Louis Cardinals and 2019 winner J.T. Realmuto of the Philadelphia Phillies for the award.

“He did a ton for our group. He did a ton for me,” Shelton said of Stallings. “When you come in as a new manager and you have a veteran catcher that knows his staff, it’s really important. I’m really excited to be here tonight to watch Jacob get his Gold Glove. I was a huge proponent of him winning it. I pushed it probably as hard as I could. He definitely deserves it.”

A seventh-round pick out of North Carolina in 2012, Stallings credits the Pirates for his development after being designated for assignment and going unclaimed on waivers. He worked on his blocking and framing and rose from third-stringer to starter in 2019. Stallings was voted the team’s Most Valuable Player by the BBWAA in 2020.

Jacob Stallings won the NL Gold Glove Award last season for the Pirates.

He received the actual award tonight before the game.

We had a chance to catch up with one of the nicest Bucs to ever wear the uniform…. and the first Pirates C since Spanky to win the Gold Glove. -RI pic.twitter.com/MgKVjpG6hV

— AT&T SportsNet™ PIT (@ATTSportsNetPIT) July 13, 2022

“I don’t think it’s something I would trade for a different path,” Stallings said. “Everyone’s path is unique. When I was in High-A, I thought about quitting. Getting DFA’d and not getting picked up was definitely eye-opening for me but it also kind of made me realize, ‘All right, there’s things I need to get better at here. What can I do to get better?’

“That was probably the biggest step in me winning the Gold Glove and becoming a better defensive catcher, having that kind of realization. It’s certainly been a unique path. Pittsburgh is always going to have a special place in my heart.”

Delay can certainly relate. A fourth-round pick out of Vanderbilt in 2017, he started the season buried on the depth chart behind Roberto Perez, Andrew Knapp, Michael Perez and Tyler Heineman. Delay joined the Pirates when Heineman went on paternity leave last week, and is batting .286 (6 for 21) with three doubles in eight games.

After Oneil Cruz tripled in the fifth inning to break a 1-1 tie, Delay singled to score Cruz for a 3-1 lead that proved to be the game-winning RBI. And Delay got good reviews from Shelton after catching a bullpen game where five relievers combined to allow two runs on five hits without giving up a walk.

“He hasn’t got sped up at all,” Shelton said. “He’s thrown the ball really well. He’s got a couple throw-outs and has made really good throws and his at-bats have been consistent. He’s putting the ball in play and that’s really all we’re asking from him.”

Delay could have asked for more. When Jesus Aguilar singled off Bednar in the bottom of the ninth, Delay nearly picked off pinch runner Luke Williams at second base on a steal. Delay would have loved nothing more than a pickoff play to end the game.

“I wanted to,” Delay said, “really, really badly.”

For now, Delay is attempting to absorb every moment in the majors. In a postgame interview at loanDepot park, Delay told AT&T SportsNet’s Robby Incmikoski that he had family members at the game who were asking how he’s handling the sudden success with the Pirates. His answer: One day at a time.

“Every day is a blessing. I’m not trying to take anything for granted,” Delay said. “I’m really just soaking everything in, trying to learn as much as I can because there’s a lot being thrown at me. There’s a lot of guys with a lot of experience in here so I just want to soak it all up and learn from them.”