The Silver Sluggers, presented by bat maker Louisville Slugger, are regular-season awards voted on by MLB managers and coaches. Criteria include traditional statistics such as batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage, and “general impressions of a player’s overall offensive value,” as Louisville Slugger put it in its press release.
SN AWARDS: MLB: Player of the Year | Executive AL: All-Stars | Rookie | Manager | Comeback NL: All-Stars | Rookie | Manager | Comeback
The National League East champion Braves led with three players: first baseman Freddie Freeman, second baseman Ozzie Albies and outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. The teammates were among eight first-time winners. The American League champion Astros (Alex Bregman, George Springer), the AL Central champion Twins (Mitch Garver, Nelson Cruz) and the Red Sox (Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts) also had more than one recipient.
Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich earned a second consecutive Silver Slugger, his second major offensive award this year. He was also named the winner of the Hank Aaron Award; he received that trophy at the World Series.
Astros right-hander Zack Greinke added a Silver Slugger, his second overall, to the Gold Glove he was awarded a week earlier. Greinke was chosen as the National League’s top-hitting pitcher (three home runs, .271 average, .883 OPS) despite being traded by Arizona to Houston last July.
