The best offense in Major League Baseball this season was well-represented in the 2016 Silver Slugger Awards.
David Ortiz (designated hitter), Xander Bogaerts (shortstop) and Mookie Betts (right field) all won American League Silver Slugger Awards on Thursday night for being the league’s best hitters at their respective positions this season.
It was quite the haul for the Boston Red Sox, who are the only team in baseball with three Silver Slugger winners. Each player’s hardware was well-deserved.
Ortiz posted what might be the greatest final season in MLB history, batting .315 with 38 home runs and 127 RBIs while leading the majors in doubles (48), slugging percentage (.620) and OPS (1.021). It was the 40-year-old’s seventh career Silver Slugger Award and a fitting way for Big Papi to end his storied career.
Betts had an incredible 2016 campaign at the plate, earning his first career Silver Slugger nod by leading all AL outfielders in batting average (.318), RBIs (113), doubles (tied, 42), extra-base hits (78) and total bases (359). He finished second in the AL with 214 hits and also tallied 31 home runs. The 24-year-old also won a Gold Glove in right field and is an AL MVP finalist.
Finally, Bogaerts won his second Silver Slugger Award in as many years after leading AL shortstops with 192 hits and posting 21 homers and 89 RBIs to go along with a .294 batting average. He’s the first player in Red Sox history to win multiple Silver Sluggers at shortstop.
Sandy Leon and Dustin Pedroia also were Silver Slugger finalists but didn’t win, as Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez and Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve took home the hardware at their positions.
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Thumbnail photo via Rick Osentoski/USA TODAY Sports Images
