One day after winning their first MLB Gold Gloves, Ezequiel Durán and Geraldo Perdomo already have a winter address: the Águilas Cibaeñas. René Francisco, VP of Baseball Operations for the club, confirmed both signings on November 2 during the @GrandesELD program. The timing could not be more pointed — the Águilas opened LIDOM 2026-2027 with a 3-9 record and are sitting in last place.
The announcement the fanbase needed
Francisco, who also serves as Senior VP of Major League and International Operations and Assistant GM for the Kansas City Royals, left no room for doubt: Durán and Perdomo are putting on the yellow jersey. The news landed less than 24 hours after both players had their Gold Glove moments on the same November 1 night.
Durán made history with the Texas Rangers, becoming the first Dominican player ever to win the Gold Glove as a utility man. The numbers behind the award were staggering: 17 Outs Above Average (OAA), placing him in the 99th percentile among all fielders in the league. Perdomo, meanwhile, took home the National League Gold Glove at shortstop with the Arizona Diamondbacks — 16 OAA (98th percentile) and 362 assists on the season. Twenty-four hours later, both trophies still fresh, René Francisco had them penciled into the Estadio Cibao roster.
Why the Águilas need them right now
This is not a comfortable spot for a franchise with Águilas’ pedigree. A 3-9 start has them in the basement of the LIDOM standings, including a recent loss to the Leones del Escogido that extended that rival’s winning streak to eight straight games. Adding two players who just proved they are the best defenders in the world at their positions is not a minor roster move — it could be the turning point the season needs.
Neither player is a stranger to the yellow uniform. Durán was a key figure in the January 2026 Round Robin, delivering the walk-off hit in the 11th inning against the Gigantes del Cibao. They are not arriving as unknowns; they are arriving as reinforcements who already know what winning with this team feels like.
Elite defenders, one winter team
Perdomo’s 2026 MLB season tells a complete story. He slashed .262/.370/.377 — a .747 OPS — with 9 home runs, 59 RBI, and 21 stolen bases in 157 games. But his real value lives in his glove: he led all National League shortstops with those 16 OAA and 362 assists.
Durán’s utility role with Texas had him moving across multiple positions, and he was dominant at every one. His combined 17 OAA ranked him best in his category league-wide. In LIDOM, the Águilas have typically deployed him as an outfielder and shortstop, leaning into the same versatility that earned him the Gold Glove.
- Ezequiel Durán: 17 OAA, 99th percentile — best utility fielder in MLB
- Geraldo Perdomo: 16 OAA, 98th percentile — NL Gold Glove shortstop, 362 assists
The Águilas now have two of the best defensive players in world baseball available for the second half of the winter season. The talent question is answered. The only question left is how quickly they can turn that 3-9 record into a distant memory.
