Home Baseball Candidates for the 2023 Silver Slugger Award include Brandon Drury and Shohei Ohtani

Candidates for the 2023 Silver Slugger Award include Brandon Drury and Shohei Ohtani

Baseball — 11/07/2023

Shohei Ohtani and Brandon Drury of the Los Angeles Angels were announced as finalists for the American League’s 2023 Silver Slugger Award.

Brandon Drury, Shohei Ohtani Named 2023 Silver Slugger Award Finalists

In addition to having won a Silver Slugger Award and become the first player from Japan to lead his league in home runs, Ohtani is poised to win his second career AL MVP award. Following his trade deadline move from the Cincinnati Reds to the San Diego Padres, Drury was named the National League Utility Player of the Year.

After a stellar year, Drury inked a solid contract. He slugged 26 home runs, 30 doubles, three triples, 83 RBI, and had an on-base plus slugging percentage of.803 in his debut season with the Angels. He developed into a rock in the middle of the lineup and was set to be nominated for the All-Star Game until he suffered an injury.

In addition to second base, where he won the Silver Slugger Award the previous season, he is also nominated for utility.

Shohei Ohtani is one of two LA Angels Silver Slugger finalists

Ohtani is the clear favorite to win because he is the designated hitter nominee. In addition to recording a career-high batting average of.304, 44 home runs, 95 RBI, and 20 steals, he led the league in 1.066 OPS.

Despite injuries that hampered the two-way standout in the last stretch, he seemed to have enough to overcome Yordan Alvarez, who had a very strong season with the Houston Astros.

Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) / X

The American League West dominates Team Silver Slugger Award nominations.

With the Texas Rangers winning the World Series in the 119th Fall Classic, the AL West had an abundance of quality this season.

Their three nominations for the 2023 club Silver Slugger Award, which will be given to the top offensive club in both leagues for the first time ever, attest to their offensive prowess. The Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Padres were mentioned as teams in the National League.

In contrast, the Astros, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, and Rangers managed to hold it down in the AL. There is a lot of firepower out west, as evidenced by the three selections for the division, and the Angels have their work cut out for them.