MLB: Predicting the Award Winners for 2017
By Jason Reed
Silver Sluggers:
American League:
- DH: Nelson Cruz
- C: Wilson Ramos
- 1B: Miguel Cabrera
- 2B: Jose Altuve
- 3B: Manny Machado
- SS: Francisco Lindor
- OF: Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez
National League:
- P: Madison Bumgarner
- C: J.T. Realmuto
- 1B: Freddie Freeman
- 2B: Daniel Murphy
- 3B: Kris Bryant
- SS: Trea Turner
- OF: Adam Eaton, Charlie Blackmon, Starling Marte
The Silver Sluggers for next season are pretty standard, with the closest races likely being AL 3rd base, AL shortstop, NL catcher, and NL shortstop. The only big surprises of the list are Machado winning over Donaldson, Lindor winning over Bogaerts, and Realmuto winning over Posey. Turner will take the honor from Seager, as Turner looked absolutely outstanding during his stint this season.
Machado will likely win the Silver Slugger because he has slowly been closing the distance with Donaldson’s numbers. Machado has only been getting better and better, and Donaldson has only regressed, slightly. Not saying Donaldson will be bad in any form, just will fall to second best behind Machado. Lindor is in the same boat as Machado. Lindor’s numbers we’re very close to Bogaerts last season, and at such a young age his numbers will only get better. That race will be as tight as it gets.
As for the NL catcher, well that may be the most surpising. J.T. Realmuto actually put up stellar numbers last season. Realistically, Realmuto was as good if not better at the plate than Buster Posey was in 2016. Realmuto doesn’t have the same reputation that Posey has, and that can hurt him. However, 2017 will see Realmuto put up numbers that make his case for Silver Slugger undeniable.