Arlington, Texas – Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager and second baseman Marcus Semien have been selected as winners of 2023 Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Awards at their respective positions in the American League. The announcement was made on Thursday night during a televised awards show on MLB Network.
Additionally, the Texas Rangers have been selected winner of the inaugural Silver Slugger Award as Offensive Team of the Year in the American League.
The Silver Slugger Award is presented each year by Louisville Slugger to the top offensive players at each position in the American and National Leagues. Votes are cast by the manager and coaches for each MLB club.
The Rangers (2) joined Atlanta (3) and Baltimore (2) as the only MLB clubs with multiple Silver Slugger winners in 2023. This is the ninth time for the Rangers to feature multiple winners, but first instance since 2010, when outfielder Josh Hamilton and designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero were both selected. With Nathaniel Lowe’s win at first base in 2022, the Rangers now have three Silver Slugger winners in the past two years, equaling the club’s total for the previous 11 seasons from 2011-21.
Seager and Semien are just the fourth pair of American League teammates, and sixth overall, to win Silver Slugger Awards at second base and shortstop in the same season since the awards began in 1980. The A.L. instances came in 2006 (Yankees 2B Robinson Canó and SS Derek Jeter), 1987 (Tigers 2B Lou Whitaker and SS Alan Trammell) and 1981 (Angels 2B Bobby Grich and SS Rick Burleson). The N.L. instances happened in 2007 (Phillies 2B Chase Utley and SS Jimmy Rollins) and 2001 (Giants 2B Jeff Kent and SS Rich Aurilia).
This is Seager’s third career Silver Slugger Award (also 2016-17 with Dodgers) and he is just the second Rangers shortstop to be selected, joining Alex Rodriguez from 2001-03. He is one of just 10 players ever to win as many as three Silver Slugger Awards as a shortstop, joining Barry Larkin (9), Cal Ripken Jr. (8), Rodriguez (7), Xander Bogaerts (5), Derek Jeter (5), Ian Desmond (3), Francisco Lindor (3), Edgar Renteria (3), and Alan Trammell (3).
The 29-year-old turned in one of the most prolific offensive seasons by a shortstop in Major League history this year, slashing .327/.390/.623/1.013 with 33 home runs, 42 doubles, and 96 RBI across 119 games. According to Stathead, Seager’s 1.013 OPS figure was the eighth-highest ever by a MLB shortstop (min. 500 PA) and highest since Texas’ Álex Rodríguez in 2002 (1.015). He compiled a 170 Adjusted OPS+ figure (baseball-reference), the highest by any MLB shortstop (min. 500 PA + 80% of games at SS) since Pittsburgh’s Arky Vaughan in 1935 (190). Seager was also just the third player in A.L./N.L. history to record 75-or-more extra-base hits in a season of 120-or-fewer games played, joining St. Louis’ Chick Hafey in 1930 (77 XBH in 120 G) and Philadelphia’s Sam Thompson in 1895 (84 XBH in 119 G).
This is Semien’s second career Silver Slugger Award, as he was also selected in 2021 with Toronto (also as 2B). He joins Alfonso Soriano (2004-05) and Julio Franco (1989-90-91) as the only players in Rangers history to win a Silver Slugger Award at second base.
The 33-year-old slashed .276/.348/.478/.826 (185-670) with 29 home runs, 4 triples, 29 doubles, 100 RBI, and 122 runs over 162 games this season. He became just the fifth player in Major League history to record 100+ RBI out of the leadoff spot in a single season alongside Los Angeles-NL’s Mookie Betts in 2023 (107), Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. in 2023 (106), Colorado’s Charlie Blackmon in 2017 (103), and Los Angeles-AL’s Darin Erstad in 2000 (100). Semien also set the club record for RBI out of the leadoff slot (prev. 79, Gary Matthews Jr. in 2006) and his 29 home runs were the second-most ever by a Texas leadoff hitter (32, Ian Kinsler in 2011).
The Rangers joined the Braves as winners of the inaugural team awards this year. Winners were determined by a combination of team offensive statistics and a vote of MLB fans who cast ballots during the final week of the regular season. Texas finished with a batting slash line of .263/.337/.452/.790, leading the American League in all four categories for the first time in franchise history. It was the first time the Rangers have ever led the A.L. in on-base percentage. The offense also led the A.L. with 881 runs, setting franchise records for games with at least 10 runs (26) and 15 runs (6). Batters' 233 home runs tied for the league lead and ranked fifth in franchise history.
Two other Rangers who were selected as finalists for 2023 Silver Slugger Awards did not win: first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and rightfielder Adolis García.