The Los Angeles have 5 Silver Slugger finalists, Main League Baseball introduced early Monday morning.
The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded yearly since 1980 to acknowledge baseball’s high offensive gamers. Every league honors 10 gamers: one catcher, one designated hitter, one utility participant, one participant at every infield place, and three outfielders.
Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernández, and Will Smith are all a finalist of their respective positions.
Ohtani had a historic season, making MLB historical past as the primary participant to hit 50 or extra residence runs (54) and steal 50 or extra bases (59) in a single 12 months. His competitors within the designated hitter class, Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna, was statistically aggressive with Ohtani till the ultimate stretch. This may be Ohtani’s third Silver Slugger.
Betts is nominated as a utility participant and already has six Silver Sluggers to his title. He began the season at shortstop however later transitioned again to proper subject after coping with an harm. He concluded the 12 months with a .863 OPS and 19 residence runs over 116 video games. His competitors is fierce with Nationwide League batting champion Luis Arraez nominated as effectively.
Earlier than injuring his proper ankle on the finish of the common season, three-time Silver Slugger first baseman Freeman had one other spectacular 12 months, posting a batting line of .282/.378/.476 (143 OPS+) and hitting 22 residence runs in 147 video games.
Hernández hit a career-best 33 residence runs and recorded a .840 OPS for the . He was chosen as an All-Star for the second time and in addition claimed victory within the House Run Derby held in Arlington. He has received two Silver Sluggers in his profession and if he wins this 12 months, it’ll set off a $1 million bonus.
Smith was named an All-Star for the second consecutive season and his worst offensive season to this point. The catcher hit 20 residence runs and drove in 75 runs whereas ending the 12 months with a .760 OPS for the .
If greater than two of Ohtani, Hernández, Betts, Freeman, and Smith win the award, it could mark the primary time the have obtained three or extra Silver Slugger Awards in a single season.
Right here is the complete checklist of NL Silver Slugger finalists:
Obligatory Credit score: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports activities
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