MLB Silver Slugger Awards 2024: Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani Headline AL, NL Winners

A pair of heavy MVP favorites in New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani lead the list of this year’s Silver Slugger award winners.

Ten players apiece in the American and National League received the honors on Tuesday: one catcher, four infielders, three outfielders, one designated hitter and one utility player. Two teams also took home Silver Sluggers as well.

Finalists were named for all individual positions, and the manager and three coaches from each of Major League Baseball’s 30 teams chose the winners.

Here’s a look at the AL and NL winners and finalists, alongside notes on some of this year’s Silver Sluggers.

American League

First Base

Winner: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays

Finalists: Josh Naylor, Guardians; Carlos Santana, Twins

Second Base

Winner: Jose Altuve, Astros

Finalists: Colt Keith, Tigers; Marcus Semien, Rangers; Gleyber Torres, Yankees

Third Base

Winner: José Ramírez, Guardians

Finalists: Alex Bregman, Astros; Rafael Devers, Red Sox

Shortstop

Winner: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals

Finalists: Gunnar Henderson, Orioles; Corey Seager, Rangers

Outfield

Winners: Aaron Judge, Yankees; Juan Soto, Yankees; Anthony Santander, Orioles

Finalist: Jarren Duran, Red Sox; Riley Greene, Tigers

Catcher

Winner: Salvador Perez, Royals

Finalists: Yainer Diaz, Astros; Shea Langeliers, Athletics; Cal Raleigh, Mariners

Designated Hitter

Winner: Brent Rooker, Athletics

Finalists: Yordan Alvarez, Astros; Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees

Utility

Winner: Josh Smith, Rangers

Finalists: Willi Castro, Twins; Jordan Westburg, Orioles

Team

Winner: Yankees

National League

First Base

Winner: Bryce Harper, Phillies

Finalists: Pete Alonso, Mets; Freddie Freeman, Dodgers

Second Base

Winner: Ketel Marte, D-backs

Finalists: Luis García Jr., Nationals; Jonathan India, Reds

Third Base

Winner: Manny Machado, Padres

Finalists: Alec Bohm, Phillies; Matt Chapman, Giants

Shortstop

Winner: Francisco Lindor, Mets

Finalists: Willy Adames, Brewers; Elly De La Cruz, Reds

Outfield

Winners: Teoscar Hernández, Dodgers; Jackson Merrill, Padres; Jurickson Profar, Padres

Finalist: Seiya Suzuki, Cubs; Jackson Chourio, Brewers

Catcher

Winner: William Contreras, Brewers

Finalists: J.T. Realmuto, Phillies; Will Smith, Dodgers

Designated Hitter

Winner: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers

Finalists: Marcell Ozuna, Braves

Utility

Winner: Mookie Betts, Dodgers

Finalists: Jake Burger, Marlins; Bryan Reynolds, Pirates; Luis Arraez, Padres

Team

Winner: Dodgers

Silver Slugger Notes

Judge and Ohtani were locks to earn Silver Slugger awards after their phenomenal seasons.

Judge, a four-time Silver Slugger, led MLB with 58 home runs, 144 RBI, 133 walks, a .458 OBP, a .701 SLG, a 1.159 OPS and a 223+ OPS. His 10.8 WAR also paced the majors.

Ohtani turned in MLB’s first-ever 50-50 season, amassing a National League-high 54 home runs to go along with 59 stolen bases.

He also led MLB with 134 runs and 411 total bases. In addition, Ohtani’s 130 RBI, .390 OBP, .646 SLG, 1.036 OPS and 190 OPS+ were first in the National League.

This year’s shortstop winners, both of whom look like the AL and NL MVP runners-up, also fared well this year.

The Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. has blossomed into a bona fide superstar. His 211 hits and .332 batting average led the majors. Witt also added 125 runs, 32 home runs and 109 RBI for the Royals, who made the playoffs for the first time since 2015. The 24-year-old also stole 31 bases and earned All-Star and Gold Glove honors for the first time ever.

Francisco Lindor was the leader of a magical New York Mets team that started 0-5 and then 22-33 before rallying to win 89 games and make the playoffs on the season’s final day. New York then upset two division champs (the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies) in the playoffs before falling to the eventual World Series champion Dodgers in the NLCS. Lindor had 33 homers, 91 RBI and an .844 OPS.

As far as five-time winners (or more) go, Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve now owns seven Silver Sluggers. The 34-year-old and now nine-time All-Star hit .295 with 20 home runs and 65 RBI for the AL West champions. Altuve won the Silver Slugger each year from 2014-2018 and again in 2022.

Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez now has five (2017-2018, 2020, 2022, 2024). The 12-year veteran posted 39 home runs and 118 RBI alongside an .872 OPS for the AL Central winners. Since 2017, Ramirez has earned a 162-game average of 34 homers and 108 RBI alongside an .888 OPS.

The same goes for Yankees outfielder Juan Soto, who’s about to land one of the richest contracts in baseball history in free agency. Soto, the MLB leader with 128 runs, helped the Yankees win their first AL pennant in 15 years. He also had 41 home runs, 109 RBI and a .989 OPS.

Soto also has MLB’s longest current Silver Slugger streak with five straight.

Royals catcher Salvador Perez earned his fifth Silver Slugger, leading all MLB catchers with 104 RBI. Perez hit .271 to go along with 27 home runs as well. Perez, a nine-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove winner, certainly has a place reserved in Cooperstown someday. But the 34-year-old continues to rake, propelling Kansas City back to the playoffs after nine years away. He won the Silver Slugger in 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2021.

Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts now has seven Silver Sluggers (and three in a row), but this is his first as a utility player. Betts began the year at shortstop but finished it in right field. Despite injury limiting him to 116 games, Betts posted a .863 OPS and 19 home runs to help the Dodgers finish with the league’s best record (98-64) en route to the World Series.

Betts won Silver Sluggers with the Boston Red Sox in 2016, 2018 and 2019 before adding four for L.A. in 2020 and 2022-2024.

Ten more MLB awards remain, and they will be revealed between Nov. 14-22. Of note, the AL and NL Cy Young and MVP awards will drop on Wednesday, Nov. 20 and Thursday, Nov. 21, respectively.