Rangers infield pair nods to Silver Slugger, joining exclusive company.
On Thursday, the winners of the American League Silver Slugger Award were revealed, with two teammates from the Texas Rangers, the World Series champions, taking center stage.
Being the sixth second base/shortstop combination to win the Silver Slugger Award in the same season since the award’s inception in 1980, Marcus Semien and Corey Seager shared the honor.
Semien and Seager become part of an elite group. They are the first to do so since Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley of the Philadelphia Phillies in 2007. Moreover, they are the first AL players to accomplish so since the New York Yankees’ Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano in 2006.
After what may have been his best season in the majors, the Rangers second baseman is back. In addition to leading the AL in doubles (40), home runs (29), RBI (100), and walks (72) among second basemen, Semien led the majors in hits (185). It’s the second Silver Slugger Award for Semien.
In the interim, the MVP of the World Series can bolster his trophy case with a third Silver Slugger. Seager finished third in hits (156), led AL SS in home runs (33) and RBI (96), and finished with an MLB-high 42 doubles.
The AL Silver Slugger Team Award went to Texas as well. In terms of batting average (.263), on-base percentage (.337), slugging (.452), on-base percentage (.790), hits (1,470), home runs (233), and RBI (845), the Rangers were the best in the American League.
Along with some fresh blood, the remainder of the AL field is a who’s who of standouts at the plate. Five of the winners—including Baltimore Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson, who became just the 13th rookie to win a Silver Slugger Award—won the award for the first time. Henderson was not the only first-time winner: Luis Robert Jr. of the Chicago White Sox, Kyle Tucker of the Houston Astros, Yandy Diaz of the Tampa Bay Rays, Adley Rutschman of the Orioles, and Tampa Bay Rays left fielder.
Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, Seattle Mariners centerfielder Julio Rodriguez—who has won back-to-back Silver Slugger Awards in as many major league seasons—and Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers were among the second-time winners.
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On Thursday night, Major League Baseball honored the best hitters from the 2023 season by revealing the winners of the Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award on MLB Network.
Selected by MLB managers and coaches, the best offensive player in each league at each position receives the Silver Slugger Awards. That comprises one utility player and three outfielders (regardless of position) in each league. Additionally, each league presented a team award for the first time.
The Braves led the group with three Silver Slugger winners, while sixteen teams had at least one. There were also several winners for the Rangers and Orioles. There are seven first-time winners among these 20 players, and one is a rookie.
Díaz won the team’s first Silver Slugger since 2010 and became the first Rays player to win a batting title. Díaz set a franchise record with an average of.330 and batted.300 or better in each of the season’s six months. Just six players had a slash line of at least.300/.400/.500, including him. Among first basemen, his on-base percentage of.410 was tied for the highest.
NL winner: Braves’ Matt Olson (first victory)
Olson was the cleanup hitter most of the time in the record-setting Braves offense, and he did clean up. The native of Atlanta led the Majors in RBIs and home runs while leading the National League in slugging percentage (.604). His 139 RBIs and 54 home runs were franchise records for the Braves. Additionally, they were the most in over ten years by a primary first baseman.
