The Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League (AL) and the National League (NL), as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball (MLB). These voters consider several offensive categories in selecting the winners, including batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage, in addition to "coaches' and managers' general impressions of a player's overall offensive value".[1] Managers and coaches are not permitted to vote for players on their own team.[1] The Silver Slugger was first awarded in 1980 and is given by Hillerich & Bradsby, the manufacturer of Louisville Slugger bats.[2] The award is a bat-shaped trophy, 3 feet (91 cm) tall, engraved with the names of each of the winners from the league[1] and plated with sterling silver.[3]
Among second basemen, Ryne Sandberg, who played 15 seasons with the Chicago Cubs in his 16-year career, is tied for the most Silver Sluggers all-time with seven wins, and is first among all National League second basemen, including five consecutive from 1988 to 1992.[4] Three other National League players have won the award four times. Jeff Kent (2000–2002, 2005) won three consecutive awards with the San Francisco Giants, before adding a fourth with the Los Angeles Dodgers;[5] Craig Biggio, who played his entire career with the Houston Astros, won the award four times as a second baseman (1994–1995, 1997–1998) after winning another as a catcher.[6] Chase Utley followed Kent's last win by capturing four consecutive awards (2006–2009).[7]
In the American League, Jose Altuve has also won seven Silver Slugger awards, tied for the most all-time, including five consecutive awards (2014–2018). Altuve's seven Silver Slugger awards are the most among American League winners, ahead of Robinson Canó who is a five-time winner. Roberto Alomar won the award at the same position with three different teams (Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Indians).[8] Julio Franco won four consecutive awards (1988–1991) with two different teams,[9] and Lou Whitaker won four awards in five years (1983–1985, 1987) with the Detroit Tigers.[10]
DJ LeMahieu holds the record for the highest batting average and slugging percentage in a second baseman's Silver Slugger-winning season with the respective .364 and .590 marks he set in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.[11] In the National League, Luis Arraez's .354 batting average in 2023 ranks first.[12] Willie Randolph, who won the inaugural award in the 1980 season, set a record for on-base percentage (.427) that has not yet been broken.[13] Chuck Knoblauch is second behind Randolph in the American League with a .424 on-base percentage,[14] a mark that was tied by Jeff Kent in 2000 to set the National League record.[5] That year, Kent also set the record among second basemen for highest slugging percentage (.596) and the National League record for runs batted in (125).[5] Bret Boone is the overall leader in runs batted in (141); this record was established in 2001.[15] Marcus Semien hit 45 home runs in 2021, the most ever by a second baseman in a winning season,[16] while Sandberg set the National League mark with 40 in 1990.[4] Jose Altuve collected 225 hits in 2014, the most in a season for a second baseman in the post-integration era.[17]
Year | Links to the corresponding Major League Baseball season |
AVG | Batting average |
OBP | On-base percentage |
SLG | Slugging percentage |
HR | Home runs |
RBI | Runs batted in |
Ref | References |
* | Winner of the most Silver Sluggers in Major League Baseball as a second baseman |
† | Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum |
Year | Player | Team | AVG | OBP | SLG | HR | RBI | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1980 | Willie Randolph | New York Yankees | .294 | .427 | .407 | 7 | 46 | [18] |
1981 | Bobby Grich | California Angels | .271 | .377 | .408 | 22 | 61 | [19] |
1982 | Dámaso García | Toronto Blue Jays | .310 | .338 | .399 | 5 | 42 | [20] |
1983 | Lou Whitaker | Detroit Tigers | .320 | .380 | .457 | 12 | 72 | [21] |
1984 | Lou Whitaker (2) | Detroit Tigers | .289 | .357 | .407 | 12 | 72 | [22] |
1985 | Lou Whitaker (3) | Detroit Tigers | .279 | .362 | .456 | 21 | 73 | [23] |
1986 | Frank White | Kansas City Royals | .272 | .322 | .465 | 22 | 84 | [24] |
1987 | Lou Whitaker (4) | Detroit Tigers | .265 | .341 | .427 | 16 | 59 | [25] |
1988 | Julio Franco | Cleveland Indians | .303 | .361 | .409 | 10 | 54 | [26] |
1989 | Julio Franco (2) | Texas Rangers | .316 | .386 | .462 | 13 | 92 | [27] |
1990 | Julio Franco (3) | Texas Rangers | .296 | .383 | .402 | 11 | 69 | [28] |
1991 | Julio Franco (4) | Texas Rangers | .341 | .408 | .474 | 15 | 78 | [29] |
1992 | Roberto Alomar† | Toronto Blue Jays | .310 | .405 | .427 | 8 | 76 | [30] |
1993 | Carlos Baerga | Cleveland Indians | .321 | .355 | .486 | 21 | 114 | [31] |
1994 | Carlos Baerga (2) | Cleveland Indians | .314 | .333 | .525 | 19 | 80 | [32] |
1995 | Chuck Knoblauch | Minnesota Twins | .333 | .424 | .487 | 11 | 63 | [33] |
1996 | Roberto Alomar† (2) | Baltimore Orioles | .328 | .411 | .527 | 22 | 94 | [34] |
1997 | Chuck Knoblauch (2) | Minnesota Twins | .291 | .390 | .411 | 9 | 58 | [35] |
1998 | Damion Easley | Detroit Tigers | .271 | .332 | .478 | 27 | 100 | [36] |
1999 | Roberto Alomar† (3) | Cleveland Indians | .323 | .422 | .533 | 24 | 120 | [37] |
2000 | Roberto Alomar† (4) | Cleveland Indians | .310 | .378 | .475 | 19 | 89 | [38] |
2001 | Bret Boone | Seattle Mariners | .331 | .372 | .578 | 37 | 141 | [39] |
2002 | Alfonso Soriano | New York Yankees | .300 | .332 | .547 | 39 | 102 | [40] |
2003 | Bret Boone (2) | Seattle Mariners | .294 | .366 | .535 | 35 | 117 | [41] |
2004 | Alfonso Soriano (2) | Texas Rangers | .280 | .324 | .484 | 28 | 91 | [42] |
2005 | Alfonso Soriano (3) | Texas Rangers | .268 | .309 | .512 | 36 | 104 | [43] |
2006 | Robinson Canó | New York Yankees | .342 | .365 | .525 | 15 | 78 | [44] |
2007 | Plácido Polanco | Detroit Tigers | .341 | .388 | .458 | 9 | 67 | [45] |
2008 | Dustin Pedroia | Boston Red Sox | .326 | .376 | .493 | 17 | 83 | [46] |
2009 | Aaron Hill | Toronto Blue Jays | .286 | .330 | .499 | 36 | 108 | [47] |
2010 | Robinson Canó (2) | New York Yankees | .319 | .381 | .534 | 29 | 109 | [48] |
2011 | Robinson Canó (3) | New York Yankees | .302 | .349 | .533 | 28 | 118 | [49] |
2012 | Robinson Canó (4) | New York Yankees | .313 | .379 | .550 | 33 | 94 | [50] |
2013 | Robinson Canó (5) | New York Yankees | .314 | .383 | .516 | 27 | 107 | [51] |
2014 | Jose Altuve* | Houston Astros | .341 | .377 | .453 | 7 | 59 | [52] |
2015 | Jose Altuve* (2) | Houston Astros | .313 | .353 | .459 | 15 | 66 | [53] |
2016 | Jose Altuve* (3) | Houston Astros | .338 | .396 | .531 | 24 | 96 | [54] |
2017 | Jose Altuve* (4) | Houston Astros | .346 | .410 | .547 | 24 | 81 | [55] |
2018 | Jose Altuve* (5) | Houston Astros | .316 | .386 | .451 | 13 | 61 | [56] |
2019 | DJ LeMahieu | New York Yankees | .327 | .375 | .518 | 26 | 102 | [57] |
2020 | DJ LeMahieu (2) | New York Yankees | .364 | .421 | .590 | 10 | 27 | [58] |
2021 | Marcus Semien | Toronto Blue Jays | .265 | .334 | .538 | 45 | 102 | [59] |
2022 | Jose Altuve* (6) | Houston Astros | .300 | .387 | .533 | 28 | 57 | [60] |
2023 | Marcus Semien (2) | Texas Rangers | .276 | .348 | .478 | 29 | 100 | [61] |
2024 | Jose Altuve* (7) | Houston Astros | .295 | .350 | .439 | 20 | 65 | [62] |
Year | Player | Team | AVG | OBP | SLG | HR | RBI | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1980 | Manny Trillo | Philadelphia Phillies | .292 | .334 | .412 | 7 | 43 | [63] |
1981 | Manny Trillo (2) | Philadelphia Phillies | .287 | .338 | .395 | 6 | 36 | [64] |
1982 | Joe Morgan† | Cincinnati Reds | .292 | .417 | .435 | 16 | 73 | [65] |
1983 | Johnny Ray | Pittsburgh Pirates | .283 | .323 | .399 | 5 | 53 | [66] |
1984 | Ryne Sandberg*† | Chicago Cubs | .314 | .367 | .520 | 19 | 84 | [67] |
1985 | Ryne Sandberg*† (2) | Chicago Cubs | .305 | .364 | .504 | 26 | 83 | [68] |
1986 | Steve Sax | Los Angeles Dodgers | .332 | .390 | .441 | 6 | 56 | [69] |
1987 | Juan Samuel | Philadelphia Phillies | .272 | .335 | .502 | 28 | 100 | [70] |
1988 | Ryne Sandberg*† (3) | Chicago Cubs | .264 | .322 | .419 | 19 | 69 | [71] |
1989 | Ryne Sandberg*† (4) | Chicago Cubs | .290 | .356 | .497 | 30 | 76 | [72] |
1990 | Ryne Sandberg*† (5) | Chicago Cubs | .306 | .354 | .559 | 40 | 100 | [73] |
1991 | Ryne Sandberg*† (6) | Chicago Cubs | .291 | .379 | .485 | 26 | 100 | [74] |
1992 | Ryne Sandberg*† (7) | Chicago Cubs | .304 | .371 | .510 | 26 | 87 | [75] |
1993 | Robby Thompson | San Francisco Giants | .312 | .375 | .496 | 19 | 65 | [76] |
1994 | Craig Biggio† | Houston Astros | .318 | .411 | .483 | 6 | 56 | [77] |
1995 | Craig Biggio† (2) | Houston Astros | .302 | .406 | .483 | 22 | 77 | [78] |
1996 | Eric Young | Colorado Rockies | .324 | .393 | .421 | 8 | 74 | [79] |
1997 | Craig Biggio† (3) | Houston Astros | .309 | .415 | .501 | 22 | 81 | [80] |
1998 | Craig Biggio† (4) | Houston Astros | .325 | .403 | .503 | 20 | 88 | [81] |
1999 | Edgardo Alfonzo | New York Mets | .304 | .385 | .502 | 27 | 108 | [82] |
2000 | Jeff Kent | San Francisco Giants | .334 | .424 | .596 | 33 | 125 | [83] |
2001 | Jeff Kent (2) | San Francisco Giants | .298 | .369 | .507 | 22 | 106 | [84] |
2002 | Jeff Kent (3) | San Francisco Giants | .313 | .368 | .565 | 37 | 108 | [85] |
2003 | José Vidro | Montreal Expos | .310 | .397 | .470 | 15 | 65 | [86] |
2004 | Mark Loretta | San Diego Padres | .335 | .391 | .495 | 16 | 76 | [87] |
2005 | Jeff Kent (4) | Los Angeles Dodgers | .289 | .377 | .512 | 29 | 105 | [88] |
2006 | Chase Utley | Philadelphia Phillies | .309 | .379 | .527 | 32 | 102 | [89] |
2007 | Chase Utley (2) | Philadelphia Phillies | .332 | .410 | .566 | 22 | 103 | [90] |
2008 | Chase Utley (3) | Philadelphia Phillies | .292 | .380 | .535 | 33 | 104 | [91] |
2009 | Chase Utley (4) | Philadelphia Phillies | .282 | .397 | .508 | 31 | 93 | [92] |
2010 | Dan Uggla | Florida Marlins | .287 | .369 | .508 | 33 | 105 | [93] |
2011 | Brandon Phillips | Cincinnati Reds | .300 | .353 | .457 | 18 | 82 | [94] |
2012 | Aaron Hill (2) | Arizona Diamondbacks | .302 | .360 | .522 | 26 | 85 | [95] |
2013 | Matt Carpenter | St. Louis Cardinals | .318 | .392 | .481 | 11 | 78 | [96] |
2014 | Neil Walker | Pittsburgh Pirates | .271 | .342 | .467 | 23 | 76 | [97] |
2015 | Dee Gordon[a] | Miami Marlins | .333 | .359 | .418 | 4 | 46 | [98] |
2016 | Daniel Murphy | Washington Nationals | .347 | .390 | .595 | 25 | 104 | [99] |
2017 | Daniel Murphy (2) | Washington Nationals | .322 | .384 | .543 | 23 | 93 | [100] |
2018 | Javier Báez | Chicago Cubs | .290 | .326 | .554 | 34 | 111 | [101] |
2019 | Ozzie Albies | Atlanta Braves | .295 | .352 | .500 | 24 | 86 | [102] |
2020 | Donovan Solano | San Francisco Giants | .326 | .365 | .463 | 3 | 29 | [103] |
2021 | Ozzie Albies (2) | Atlanta Braves | .259 | .310 | .488 | 30 | 106 | [104] |
2022 | Jeff McNeil | New York Mets | .326 | .382 | .454 | 9 | 62 | [105] |
2023 | Luis Arraez | Miami Marlins | .354 | .393 | .469 | 10 | 69 | [106] |
2024 | Ketel Marte | Arizona Diamondbacks | .292 | .372 | .560 | 36 | 95 | [107] |