The Boston Red Sox featured one of the most potent lineups in all of baseball this past season, and two of their stars were recognized Thursday for their efforts at the plate in 2018.
After leading @MLB in batting average, @RedSox OF @mookiebetts takes home his second career #SilverSlugger. pic.twitter.com/uCwmhLvl6y
— Louisville Slugger (@sluggernation) November 8, 2018
In his first year with the @RedSox, @JDMartinez14 brings home his second career #SilverSlugger. Triple Crown threat all year long. pic.twitter.com/cGPq0R3p92
— Louisville Slugger (@sluggernation) November 8, 2018
Mookie Betts, who recently took home a Gold Glove Award and was named a finalist for the American League MVP Award, put together arguably the best season of his career, boasting a league-leading .346 batting average to go along with 32 home runs and a career-high 129 runs scored.
Betts surely couldn’t have set that career high without J.D. Martinez, who managed to exceed expectations in his first season with the Red Sox. The veteran slugger clubbed 43 home runs — a new franchise record for player’s first year in Boston — while posting a .330 average and a league-leading 130 RBIs. As a result, Martinez made Silver Slugger history by winning the award at two separate positions.
J.D. Martinez is the first player since the inception of the Silver Slugger in 1980 to win the award at two different positions in the same season. Jim Rice would have had a case in 1977 and '78.
— Ian Browne (@IanMBrowne) November 9, 2018
Betts, Martinez and the Red Sox claimed baseball’s ultimate prize by winning the 2018 World Series, but adding a little extra hardware never hurts.
