List of Silver Slugger Award winners at first base

The Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League (AL) and the National League (NL), as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball (MLB). These voters consider several offensive categories in selecting the winners, including batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage, in addition to "coaches' and managers' general impressions of a player's overall offensive value".[1] Managers and coaches are not permitted to vote for players on their own team.[1] The Silver Slugger was first awarded in 1980 and is given by Hillerich & Bradsby, the manufacturer of Louisville Slugger bats.[2] The award is a bat-shaped trophy, 3 feet (91 cm) tall, engraved with the names of each of the winners from the league[1] and plated with sterling silver.[3]

Todd Helton batting
Todd Helton is the only first baseman to win four Silver Slugger Awards consecutively. He was the first of three players to win the award four times.

Among first basemen, Paul Goldschmidt has won the most Silver Sluggers, with five. Goldschmidt won the award in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018 (Arizona Diamondbacks) and 2022 (St. Louis Cardinals).[4] Tied for second are Todd Helton (Colorado Rockies; 2000–2003)[5] and Albert Pujols (St. Louis Cardinals; 2004, 2008–2010)[6] with four. In the American League, six players have won the award three times: José Abreu (Chicago White Sox; 2014, 2018, 2020),[7] Miguel Cabrera (Detroit Tigers; 2010, 2015, 2016)[8] Cecil Cooper (Milwaukee Brewers;[a] 1980–1982);[9] Carlos Delgado (Toronto Blue Jays; 1999–2000, 2003),[10] Don Mattingly (New York Yankees; 1985–1987);[11] and Mark Teixeira (Texas Rangers, 2004–2005; New York Yankees, 2009).[12] In the National League, two players have won the award three times: Jeff Bagwell (Houston Astros[b]; 1994, 1997, 1999);[13] and Freddie Freeman (Atlanta Braves; 2019–2021).[14] Mark McGwire and Eddie Murray each won a combined three Silver Slugger Awards across both leagues. McGwire won two American League Silver Sluggers for the Oakland Athletics in 1992 and 1996, and the National League Silver Slugger for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1998.[15] Murray won two American League Silver Sluggers for the Baltimore Orioles in 1983 and 1984, and the National League Silver Slugger for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1990.[16] One player has won the award while playing for two different teams during his winning season. Fred McGriff was traded by the San Diego Padres to the Atlanta Braves during the 1993 season; he won the Silver Slugger Award with a .291 batting average and 37 home runs between the two teams.[17] One father-son combination has won the award: Cecil Fielder won the American League Silver Slugger with the Detroit Tigers in 1990 and 1991,[18] and his son Prince Fielder won the National League award with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2007 and 2011, and the American League award with the Tigers in 2012.[19] Yandy Díaz and Matt Olson are the most recent winners.

Helton holds the record for the highest batting average in a first baseman's Silver Slugger-winning season with the .372 mark he set in 2000.[5] In the American League, Frank Thomas' .353 batting average in 1994 ranks first,[20] and is the third-best in the history of the award. Mark McGwire holds the records in both leagues for highest slugging percentage, and the National League record for most home runs. McGwire slugged .730 for the Oakland Athletics in 1996, the year before he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals.[15] In 1998, McGwire hit 70 home runs on his way to the Major League home run record, slugging .752 while battling the entire season with Sammy Sosa.[15] Chris Davis holds the American League record for most home runs in a Silver Slugger season when he hit 53 in 2013.[21] Andrés Galarraga had 150 runs batted in (RBI) in 1996 when he won the award,[22] followed closely by Ryan Howard's 2006 total of 149.[23] The American League record for a Silver Slugger winner is 145 RBI, achieved by Mattingly (1985)[11] and Delgado (2003).[10]

Key

YearLinks to the corresponding Major League Baseball season
AVGBatting average
OBPOn-base percentage
SLGSlugging percentage
HRHome runs
RBIRuns batted in
RefReferences
* or **Winner of the most Silver Slugger Awards at his position (** indicates tie)
Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

American League winners

Cecil Cooper was the first player to win the Silver Slugger Award at first base three times consecutively.
Eddie Murray was the first player to win the Silver Slugger Award at first base in both leagues.
YearPlayerTeamAVGOBPSLGHRRBIRef
1980Cecil CooperMilwaukee Brewers.352.387.53925122[24]
1981Cecil Cooper (2)Milwaukee Brewers.320.363.4951260[25]
1982Cecil Cooper (3)Milwaukee Brewers.313.342.52832121[26]
1983Eddie MurrayBaltimore Orioles.306.393.53833111[27]
1984Eddie Murray (2)Baltimore Orioles.306.410.50929110[28]
1985Don MattinglyNew York Yankees.324.371.56735145[29]
1986Don Mattingly (2)New York Yankees.352.394.57331113[30]
1987Don Mattingly (3)New York Yankees.327.378.55930115[31]
1988George BrettKansas City Royals.306.389.50924103[32]
1989Fred McGriffToronto Blue Jays.269.399.5253692[33]
1990Cecil FielderDetroit Tigers.277.377.59251132[34]
1991Cecil Fielder (2)Detroit Tigers.261.347.51344133[35]
1992Mark McGwireOakland Athletics.268.385.58542104[36]
1993Frank ThomasChicago White Sox.317.426.60741128[37]
1994Frank Thomas (2)Chicago White Sox.353.487.72938101[38]
1995Mo VaughnBoston Red Sox.300.388.57539126[39]
1996Mark McGwire (2)Oakland Athletics.312.467.73052113[40]
1997Tino MartinezNew York Yankees.296.371.57744141[41]
1998Rafael PalmeiroBaltimore Orioles.296.379.56543121[42]
1999Carlos DelgadoToronto Blue Jays.272.377.57144134[43]
2000Carlos Delgado (2)Toronto Blue Jays.344.470.66441137[44]
2001Jason GiambiOakland Athletics.342.477.66038120[45]
2002Jason Giambi (2)New York Yankees.314.435.59841122[46]
2003Carlos Delgado (3)Toronto Blue Jays.302.426.59342145[47]
2004Mark TeixeiraTexas Rangers.281.370.56038112[48]
2005Mark Teixeira (2)Texas Rangers.301.379.57543144[49]
2006Justin MorneauMinnesota Twins.321.375.55934130[50]
2007Carlos PeñaTampa Bay Devil Rays.282.411.62746121[51]
2008Justin Morneau (2)Minnesota Twins.300.374.49923129[52]
2009Mark Teixeira (3)New York Yankees.292.383.56539122[53]
2010Miguel CabreraDetroit Tigers.328.420.62238126[54]
2011Adrián GonzálezBoston Red Sox.338.410.54827117[55]
2012Prince Fielder (3)Detroit Tigers.313.412.52830108[56]
2013Chris DavisBaltimore Orioles.286.370.63453138[57]
2014José AbreuChicago White Sox.317.383.58136107[58]
2015Miguel Cabrera (2)Detroit Tigers.338.440.5341876[59]
2016Miguel Cabrera (3)Detroit Tigers.316.393.56338108[60]
2017Eric HosmerKansas City Royals.318.385.4982594[61]
2018José Abreu (2)Chicago White Sox.265.325.4732278[62]
2019Carlos SantanaCleveland Indians.281.397.5153493[63]
2020José Abreu (3)Chicago White Sox.317.370.6171960[64]
2021Vladimir Guerrero Jr.Toronto Blue Jays.311.401.60148111[65]
2022Nathaniel LoweTexas Rangers.302.358.4922776[66]
2023Yandy DíazTampa Bay Rays.330.410.5222278[67]

National League winners

Andrés Galarraga won the Silver Slugger Award at first base in 1988 and 1996, the longest gap between awards at the position.
Albert Pujols won the NL Silver Slugger Award at first base in 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2010 after two previous wins at other positions.
YearPlayerTeamAVGOBPSLGHRRBIRef
1980Keith HernandezSt. Louis Cardinals.321.408.4941699[68]
1981Pete RosePhiladelphia Phillies.325.391.390033[69]
1982Al OliverMontreal Expos.331.392.51422109[70]
1983George HendrickSt. Louis Cardinals.318.373.4931897[71]
1984Keith Hernandez (2)New York Mets.311.409.4491594[72]
1985Jack ClarkSt. Louis Cardinals.281.393.5022287[73]
1986Glenn DavisHouston Astros.265.344.49331101[74]
1987Jack Clark (2)St. Louis Cardinals.286.459.59735106[75]
1988Andrés GalarragaMontreal Expos.302.352.5402992[76]
1989Will ClarkSan Francisco Giants.333.407.54623111[77]
1990Eddie Murray (3)Los Angeles Dodgers.330.414.5202695[78]
1991Will Clark (2)San Francisco Giants.301.359.53629116[79]
1992Fred McGriff (2)San Diego Padres.286.394.55635104[80]
1993Fred McGriff (3)San Diego Padres
Atlanta Braves
.291.375.54937101[81]
[82]
1994Jeff BagwellHouston Astros.368.451.75039116[83]
1995Eric KarrosLos Angeles Dodgers.298.369.53532105[84]
1996Andrés Galarraga (2)Colorado Rockies.304.357.60147150[85]
1997Jeff Bagwell (2)Houston Astros.286.425.59243135[86]
1998Mark McGwire (3)St. Louis Cardinals.299.470.75270147[87]
1999Jeff Bagwell (3)Houston Astros.304.454.59142126[88]
2000Todd HeltonColorado Rockies.372.463.69842147[89]
2001Todd Helton (2)Colorado Rockies.336.432.68549146[90]
2002Todd Helton (3)Colorado Rockies.329.429.57730109[91]
2003Todd Helton (4)Colorado Rockies.358.458.63033117[92]
2004Albert PujolsSt. Louis Cardinals.331.415.65746123[93]
2005Derrek LeeChicago Cubs.335.418.66246107[94]
2006Ryan HowardPhiladelphia Phillies.313.425.65958149[95]
2007Prince FielderMilwaukee Brewers.288.395.61850119[96]
2008Albert Pujols (2)St. Louis Cardinals.357.462.65337116[97]
2009Albert Pujols (3)St. Louis Cardinals.327.443.65847135[98]
2010Albert Pujols (4)St. Louis Cardinals.312.414.59642118[99]
2011Prince Fielder (2)Milwaukee Brewers.299.415.56638120[100]
2012Adam LaRocheWashington Nationals.271.343.51033100[101]
2013Paul Goldschmidt*Arizona Diamondbacks.302.401.55136125[102]
2014Adrián González (2)Los Angeles Dodgers.276.335.48227116[103]
2015Paul Goldschmidt* (2)Arizona Diamondbacks.321.435.57033110[104]
2016Anthony RizzoChicago Cubs.292.385.54432109[105]
2017Paul Goldschmidt* (3)Arizona Diamondbacks.297.404.56336120[106]
2018Paul Goldschmidt* (4)Arizona Diamondbacks.290.389.5333383[107]
2019Freddie FreemanAtlanta Braves.295.389.54938121[108]
2020Freddie Freeman (2)Atlanta Braves.341.462.6401353[109]
2021Freddie Freeman (3)Atlanta Braves.300.393.5033183[110]
2022Paul Goldschmidt* (5)St. Louis Cardinals.317.404.57835115[111]
2023Matt OlsonAtlanta Braves.283.389.60454139[112]

Footnotes

  • a The Brewers were members of the American League until 1997, when Commissioner Bud Selig offered the team the option to switch leagues due to a realignment of Major League Baseball's divisions. The Brewers have been members of the National League since 1998.[113]
  • b The Astros were members of the National League until 2012, when the team moved from the National League Central to the American League West in order to balance out the divisions. The Astros have been members of the American League since 2013..[114]

See also

References

  • "MLB Awards: History (Awards: Silver Slugger)". Major League Baseball. Retrieved March 9, 2009.
Inline citations

External links