After winning their first World Series Championship, the Texas Rangers have been collecting postseason awards.
On Thursday night, shortstop Corey Seager and second baseman Marcus Semien were named the American League Silver Slugger Award winners, recognitions given to the top hitters in the American and National Leagues at their respective positions.
Seager won the award for the third time in his career and the first time since coming to the American League after spending the first seven years with the National League’s Los Angeles Dodgers. He hit .327 with 33 home runs and 96 RBIs during the regular season despite missing extended periods with injuries. He also helped carry the offense in the postseason, winning his second World Series MVP.
While he struggled throughout most of the playoffs, Semien won his second Silver Slugger after hitting .276 with 29 home runs and 100 RBIs this season. It was his third-highest home run total and second-highest RBI total in his 11-year career.
Both Seager and Semien are also finalists for the American League MVP award.
The Rangers were also named the first-ever American League Offensive Team of the Year Award recipients, which was determined by statistics and fan voting. Texas had the second-highest batting average in the MLB and was third in runs scored, home runs, RBIs, OPS, and slugging percentage.
The Atlanta Braves, who led the Major Leagues in most offensive categories, won the award in the National League.
Earlier in the week, first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, catcher Jonah Heim, and outfielder Adolis Garcia were honored for their defensive prowess with Gold Glove Awards, which are given to the top defensive players in the American and National Leagues at each position.
While general manager Chris Young did a tremendous job assembling a championship roster, the league awarded Executive of the Year to Baltimore’s Mike Elias after a 101-win season.
The MLB will continue to reveal its award winners throughout the rest of November, with the unveiling of the Platinum Glove winners (best singular defender in each league) scheduled for Friday.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy is a finalist for the AL Manager of the Year award, which will be announced on Tuesday, November 14.
