Washington Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy and catcher Wilson Ramos were honored as Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award winners on Thursday night, the first such honor for each player in his career. Louisville Slugger made the announcement on MLB Network.
Murphy and Ramos are the first second baseman and catcher, respectively, in Nationals history to take home a Silver Slugger Award. The tandem's dual honor makes 2016 the fifth consecutive season the Nationals have had at least one winner of the prestigious offensive award. They are now owners of the 11th and 12th Silver Sluggers doled out to Washington players in Nationals history (2005-present).
"We are so proud to see Daniel and Wilson honored for the outstanding offensive seasons they delivered for us," said Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo. "The Silver Slugger Award has become something of a tradition in the Nationals' organization and we are excited to see Daniel and Wilson carry that torch for us this season. They were both so integral in us securing a third division title in the last five years. Frankly, we could not have achieved that great accomplishment without their contributions."
Murphy, a finalist for the BBWAA NL MVP Award that will be announced on Thursday, Nov. 17., led or ranked near the top of the NL in a majority of offensive categories this season including: slugging percentage (.595, 1st), doubles (47, 1st), on-base plus slugging percentage (.985, 1st), batting average (.347, 2nd), plate appearances per strikeout (10.21, 2nd), strikeout percentage (9.8%, 2nd), go-ahead RBI (31, T2nd), RBI (104, 4th), hits (184, 5th), multi-hit games (56, 5th), and total bases (316, 8th). Murphy posted the highest single-season batting average in Nationals history (2005-present) at .347 and tied the Nationals record (2005-present) for hits in a season (184), and doubles in a season (47).
An All-Star, and the NL Player of the Month for May and July, Murphy's first year as a member of the Nationals was an historic one for a second baseman. According to Baseball Reference, Murphy joined Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby as the only second basemen to hit at least .347 with 25 home runs, 104 RBI and a .595 slugging percentage among those to play at least 50 percent of his games at second. Murphy also led all NL second basemen in SLG (.595), doubles (47), and RBI (104).
"I am honored by this award, and truly humbled to be a part of the group of players who are both alongside me this year, and those who came before me," Murphy said. "As I've said before, I don't know that I will always play well, but I hope that they say I always played hard. To be recognized by opposing coaches and managers is an honor. I'm proud to accept this award and thank my teammates, coaches, medical staff and support staff for their assistance in helping me achieve it."
Ramos, one of the top two-way catchers in Major League Baseball, put together the finest offensive season of his career before it was cut short due to an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee on Sept. 26. Before his injury, Ramos set career marks in nearly every offensive category, including: home runs (22), RBI (80), doubles, (25), hits (148), batting average (.307), on-base percentage (.354, tied a career-high), slugging percentage (.496), and OPS (.850).
An All-Star for the first time in his career, Ramos led all National League catchers in slugging percentage, and ranked second in the NL in batting average and home runs. He did all that while leading the Nationals' pitching staff to a 3.51 ERA, the second-best in the Major Leagues, and posting a 3.45 catcher ERA, the third-lowest mark among all qualified NL receivers.
"I am humbled by this award and incredibly proud to have my name included with these other great players," Ramos said. "It is an honor to know that I was selected by other teams' coaches and managers. I would like to thank my teammates, coaches, trainers, and all of our staff who help me perform, as well as our great fans. I am forever grateful for their sacrifices that lift me up."
With Murphy and Ramos as their latest honorees, the Nationals are the only team in the NL with a player earning a Silver Slugger Award in each of the past five seasons. Joining them with active streaks in the American League are the Detroit Tigers (2011-2016) and the Los Angeles Angels (2012-2015).