The Los Angeles Dodgers, along with the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Diego Padres, are finalists in the National League for the first-ever Team Silver Slugger Award.
The Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and Tampa Bay Rays are the American League finalists for the 2023 Team Silver Slugger Award.
This season, the Dodgers’ offense was one of the best in baseball, led by 2023 All-Stars Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, J.D. Martinez, and Will Smith, as well as Max Muncy, Jason Heyward, James Outman, and others.
The Dodgers finished second in the National League with 34.4 offensive wins above replacement (WAR), trailing only the Braves’ 39.7.
Los Angeles also finished second in home runs (249), runs scored (906), RBI (877), walk percentage (10.2%), ISO (.197), on-base percentage (.340), slugging percentage (.455), wOBA (.341), wRC+ (116), and batting average (.257).
This is the second year in a row that Louisville Slugger has expanded the Silver Slugger Awards. Utility player awards were added in 2022 to recognize the best hitters who play multiple positions.
“Every year, there are a handful of teams in each league that are capable of hanging crooked numbers on a near-nightly basis and with the introduction of the Silver Slugger Team Award, these clubs will get their due alongside the standout individual offensive performers in the game,” Jake Misener, Louisville Slugger marketing manager, said in a press release.
“Being able to involve MLB fans across the country and giving them a voice just adds another layer of excitement to the continuing legacy of the Silver Slugger Award.”
The NL and AL Silver Slugger Team Award winners, as well as the individual player awards, will be announced on MLB Network on November 9.
Five Dodgers have been named Silver Slugger Award finalists for 2023.
Betts, Freeman, Martinez, Muncy, and Smith were all named NL finalists for the 2023 Silver Slugger Award. Last year, Freeman, Betts, and Smith were finalists for the offensive award, and Muncy and Smith were among the team’s finalists in 2021.
Betts is a Silver Slugger finalist in both the outfield and the utility position this season.
MLB managers and coaches vote for players at each position in their respective leagues to determine winners; each team receives four votes, one for manager and three coaches of their choice.
The Silver Slugger voting system is based on a combination of offensive statistics such as batting average, on-base plus slugging percentage, runs scored, home runs, RBI, total bases, RBI, OPS+, and managers’ and coaches’ general impressions of a player’s overall value at the plate.
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