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Which NL designated hitter will win the Silver Slugger?

ByRenee Dechert|
LOUISVILLE, KY - NOVEMBER 13: The Silver Slugger Awards for Albert Pujois of the St. Louis Cardinals is displayed at the Louisville Slugger Museum and Plant on November 13, 2009 in Louisville, Kentucky. Louisville Slugger presents the awards each year based on a vote of Major League Baseball coaches and managers for the best offensive producers at each position in both the National and American Leagues. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY - NOVEMBER 13: The Silver Slugger Awards for Albert Pujois of the St. Louis Cardinals is displayed at the Louisville Slugger Museum and Plant on November 13, 2009 in Louisville, Kentucky. Louisville Slugger presents the awards each year based on a vote of Major League Baseball coaches and managers for the best offensive producers at each position in both the National and American Leagues. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

It’s award season, that time when MLB recognizes personal excellence and keeps fans engaged as they wait for the hot stove to begin heating up. On November 10, the Silver Slugger winners will be announced.

In 2022, the first full-season Silver Slugger will be awarded in the National League for the designated hitter. This award has been given out since 1980 to each league’s best offensive players at each position. MLB manager and coaches vote for this award though they cannot vote for players on their own teams.

This year, the National League finalists are

A couple of points are worth noting.

First, with 99 games, Harper failed to meet the 100-game threshold to be eligible. But let’s keep him in the analysis to make things interesting.

Second — and just because — the AL Silver Slugger finalist with the highest sOPS+ is Yordan Alvarez (180 sOPS+ in 327 PA) followed by Shohei Ohtani (145 sOPS+ in 662 PA) and George Springer (119 sOPS+ in 183 PA). Just to reiterate, Yordan Alvarez had a tremendous year offensively.

How do the NL Silver Slugger finalists compare?

Below, I’ve listed PAs, slashlines, and sOPS+ when DHing, as well as their overall rWAR.

  • Bell — PA: 132; slashline: .235/.338/.339; sOPS+: 93; 3.0
  • Blackmon — PA: 357; slashline: .268/.316/.429; sOPS+: 109; rWAR: -0.2
  • Harper — PA: 389; slashline: .296/.368/.522; sOPS+; 149; rWAR: 2.5
  • Pujols — PA: 250; slashline: .251/.328/.502; sOPS+: 131; rWAR: 2.0
  • Turner — PA: 250; slashline: .270/.348/.381; sOPS+: 107; rWAR: 1.9
  • Voit — PA: 406; slashline: .206/.278/.374; sOPS+: 83; rWAR: 0.8

There are a few points here worth noting, the most obvious being that Bryce Harper should win the NL DH, but since he isn’t elgible, he can’t. Of the finalists, he had the best year in terms of hitting. Moreover, for those who resisted the NL adopting the DH, having the designated hitter in the National League was the only thing that kept an injured Bryce Harper in the Phillies’ lineup.

Turner and Voit had the lowest SLG although both had high OBP. (Only Harper’s was higher.)

In short, this is a varied group.

Who should win the Silver Slugger?

Albert Pujols — and after Bryce Harper, it’s not especially close. As a DH, Pujols was very good, worth 2.0 rWAR and an SLG just north of .500. Overall, Yordan Alvarez was the best DH, but in the NL, that award should go to Pujols.

Should he win, this would be the seventh time he has won a Silver Slugger (four at first base; one at third base; and one in the outfield).

And let’s not forget Pujols hit his 703rd home run in 2022. In fact, let’s take a moment to appreciate his entrance into the 700 Club:

Only Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), and Babe Ruth (714) have hit more home runs than Albert Pujols has. And, probably, we won’t see that happen again in baseball. It’s a remarkable accomplishment.

In 2022, Albert Pujols has earned the National League Designated Hitter Silver Slugger.

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