Bringing home the hardware: Rutschman, Santander and Henderson named Silver Slugger finalists.
Major League Baseball announced the finalists in each league for the Silver Slugger Award. The award was first given out in 1980 and is given to the best offensive players in each league. Major League managers and coaches decide who the finalists are going to be, and there’s typically three per position in both leagues.
The Baltimore Orioles had three nominees: utility player Gunnar Henderson, outfielder/DH Anthony Santander, and catcher Adley Rutschman. The argument could be made for several other O’s, but the offensive strength in the American League is very well-rounded.
Anthony Santander (also known as “Tony Taters”) had a career year at the plate in 2023. Santander was third on the team in batting average (.257), tied for first in home runs (28), and first in RBIs (95) and extra base hits (42). His 41 doubles were the second most in the American League behind World Series MVP Cory Seager. Between 2022-23, Santander increased his average by 18 points, his RBIs by 6, and his extra base hits by 18.
Santander found his footing after batting .205 to start the season. He took off in May with a .337 average, 7 home runs and 18 RBIs. Santander hit .248 the rest of the way, but his home runs skyrocketed. He hit 26 of his 28 home runs after May, and the most he hit in a month was 8 in August.
Gunnar Henderson flourished in his first full major league season. Like his teammate, Henderson also struggled early. Henderson hit just .197 in April and made many fans wonder if he was called up too soon. He quickly put that narrative to bed after hitting .320 in June and smashing 6 homers. Henderson continued to improve at the plate, and he finished with a .255 average, 28 home runs and 82 RBIs. The rookie went back and forth with Anthony Santander for the team lead in home runs. The scary thing for opposing pitchers is that Henderson can only continue to improve.
Adley Rutschman impressed in his first full season. Rutschman showed flashes after being called up in May of 2022, and he piggybacked off of that performance in ’23. Between catching, playing DH, or pinch hitting, Rutschman appeared in 154 games this season. That was the most by an Oriole in the regular season. Out of the qualifying players, Rutschman led the team in batting average (.277), OBP (.374), hits (163) and walks (92). Rutschman displayed the plate discipline of a 10-year veteran, and rarely struck out swinging. He’s not known for his power, but he can certainly expose a pitcher’s mistake. Being a catcher helps him see the pitches he wants, and that’s why he’s a hit machine. There’s no question the 25-year-old is the leader of the team, and hopefully he can lead them back to the postseason.
With the help of these sluggers, the Orioles finished with 101 wins and an AL East title. Fans around the country are hoping they can continue their success and bring another pennant to Baltimore, Maryland.
