Louisville Slugger announced the “finalists” for 2025 Silver Slugger Award, which is a fancy way of saying they unveiled the top three to six players in voting for the best offensive performer at each
position. The voting is already complete, selected by managers and up to three coaches on each major league team. There is no other round of voting coming.
Four Dodgers are among the top four at their position offensively, as deemed by managers and coaches — Shohei Ohtani at designated hitter, Will Smith at catcher, Freddie Freeman at first base, and Max Muncy at third base.
Designated hitter
Ohtani has won three Silver Sluggers in the previous four seasons, including in 2024 with the Dodgers. With apologies to Christian Yelich of the Brewers, who was in the top three at the position, this Silver Slugger is between Ohtani and the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber.
Ohtani: .282/.392/.622, 55 HR, 25 doubles, 9 triples, 20 steals, 146 runs, 102 RBI, 109 walks, 172 wRC+
Schwarber: .240/.365/.563, 56 HR, 23 doubles, 2 triples, 10 steals, 111 runs, 132 RBI, 108 walks, 152 wRC+
If Schwarber wins this Silver Slugger, it’ll be because of his 30 more RBI than Ohtani and possibly one more home run. Ohtani also stole 10 more bases. Ohtani had eight more extra-base hits and 40 more total bases, reached base 20 more times, and scored 35 more runs, while making 10 fewer outs.
Catcher
Smith was the best-hitting catcher in the National League, but suffered a hairline fracture in his right hand after getting hit by a foul ball on September 3, and missed 22 of the final 23 games of the regular season, hurting his raw totals. William Contreras of the Brewers and Hunter Goodman of the Rockies are the other two in the top three of voting.
Smith: .296/.404/.497, 153 wRC+, 17 HR, 20 doubles, 61 RBI, 64 runs, 78 wRC, 4.7 oWAR (Baseball Reference)
Contreras: .260/.355/.399, 113 wRC+, 17 HR, 28 doubles, 76 RBI, 89 runs, 88 wRC+, 3.8 oWAR
Goodman: .278/.323/.520, 118 wRC+, 31 HR, 28 doubes, 91 RBI, 73 runs, 90 wRC+, 3.8 oWAR
The last Dodgers catcher to win Silver Slugger Award was Russell Martin in 2007.
First base
Freeman is a three-time Silver Slugger Award winner, all won while with the Atlanta Braves. The top three in voting at the position are Freeman, Pete Alonso of the Mets, and Matt Olson of the Braves.
Freeman: .295/.367/.502, 139 wRC+, 24 HR, 39 doubles, 90 RBI, 81 runs, 27.6 Offense (FanGraphs), 4.2 oWAR
Alonso: .272/.347/.524, 141 wRC+, 38 HR, 41 doubles, 126 RBI, 87 runs, 29.2 Offense, 4.4 oWAR
Olson: .272/.366/.484, 136 wRC+, 29 HR, 41 doubles, 95 RBI, 98 runs, 26.1 Offense, 4.2 oWAR
The last Dodgers first baseman to win a Silver Slugger was Adrián González in 2014.
Third base
Max Muncy missed 47 games on injured list stints for a left knee bone bruise and oblique strain, but impressed enough during his time on the field that he is at least in the top four in voting at the hot corner for a Silver Slugger. Others at the position are Matt Chapman of the Giants, Manny Machado of the Padres, and Austin Riley of the Braves.
Muncy: 388 PA, .243/.376/.470, 137 wRC+, 19 HR, 10 doubles, 67 RBI, 48 runs, 17.4 Offense, 3.3 oWAR
Machado: 678 PA, .275/.335/.460, 123 wRC+, 27 HR, 33 doubles, 95 RBI, 91 runs, 17.8 Offense, 3.8 oWAR
Chapman: 535 PA, .231/.340/.430, 118 wRC+, 21 HR, 23 doubles, 61 RBI, 76 runs, 12.5 Offense, 3.6 oWAR
Riley: 447 PA, .260/.309/.428, 103 wRC+, 16 HR, 20 doubles, 54 RBI, 54 runs, 0.2 Offense, 1.5 oWAR
Adrián Beltré in 2004 was the only Dodgers third baseman to win a Silver Slugger Award.
The 2025 Silver Slugger Award winners will be announced on Thursday, November 6.
