Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernández and Mookie Betts win Louisville Silver Slugger Award

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, outfielder Teoscar Hernández and utility player Mookie Betts have each won the 2024 Louisville Slugger Award, becoming the first trio in franchise history to win the award in the same campaign. This is the seventh time in franchise history that the Dodgers have had multiple winners in the same season, joining Pedro Guerrero and Fernando Valenzuela (1981), Kirk Gibson and Tim Leary (1988), Mike Piazza and Orel Hershiser (1993), Piazza and Eric Karros (1995), Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp (2009) and Betts and Trea Turner (2022).

Ohtani, 30, wins his third Silver Slugger (2021, 23-24) and first as a member of the Dodgers. The designated hitter finished the campaign with a .310 batting average, 54 homers, 59 steals and 130 RBI. He became the first player in Major League history with 50+ homers and 50+ steals in the same season while becoming the first player to notch 400 total bases since 2001. He broke the Los Angeles Dodgers’ record for runs scored in a season with 134 and he led the National League in on-base percentage (.390), slugging percentage (.646), OPS (1.036), total bases (411), runs and RBI. He won the National League Player of the Month honor (fifth of his career) after finishing the month of September hitting .393 (42-for-107) with 10 homers, 32 RBI, eight doubles, a triple, 12 walks, 27 runs scored, 16 stolen bases, a .766 slugging percentage and a .458 on-base percentage in 26 games. Ohtani became the 25^th player with at least five career awards and the 13^th player to win at least one award in both leagues. He earned his fourth All-Star nod after clubbing 29 homers and driving in 69 in 94 games prior to the All-Star break and with his third Silver Slugger honor, he is now one of six players to win the award three or more times as a designated hitter, joining David Ortiz (7), Edgar Martinez (4), Paul Molitor (4), Don Baylor (3) and Nelson Cruz (3).

Hernández, 32, wins his third Silver Slugger (2020-21, 24) and his first as a member of the Dodgers. In his first season with the Dodgers, he slashed .272/.339/.502 with 33 homers and 99 RBI in 154 games. He set career-highs in homers and walks (53) while finishing sixth in the National League in homers and seventh in RBI. He was selected to his second All-Star Game after clubbing 19 homers and driving in 62 before the break. He was the first player in franchise history to win the 2024 T-Mobile Home Run Derby after swatting 49 homers to beat Bobby Witt Jr. in the finals. He is one of 28 outfielders with three or more Silver Slugger honors and is one of 24 players along with teammates Betts and Ohtani to win the award in both leagues.

Betts, 32, wins his seventh Silver Slugger award (2016, 2018-20, 2022-24) and his fourth as a member of the Dodgers after batting .289 with 19 homers and 75 RBI. He wins his first Louisville Silver Slugger at the utility spot and he is now one of 16 players in Major League Baseball history with seven or more Silver Slugger honors, joining Barry Bonds (12), Mike Piazza (10), Mike Trout (9), Barry Larkin (9), Cal Ripken Jr. (8), Manny Ramirez (8), Wade Boggs (8), Tony Gwynn (7), Ryne Sandberg (7), Vladimir Guerrero Sr. (7), Ken Griffey Jr. (7), Ivan Rodriguez (7), David Ortiz (7), Alex Rodriguez (7) and José Altuve (7). With the honor, he joins Piazza (1993-97) as one of two players in franchise history with four or more Silver Slugger awards and now trails Piazza by one for most all-time in Dodger history. In 2020, he became the 20^th player in franchise history to earn the award and he is one of five players in Major League Baseball history to win multiple Silver Slugger awards in both leagues along with Miguel Cabrera (five in AL, two in NL), Gary Sheffield (two in AL, three in NL), Vladimir Guerrero Sr. (five in AL, three in NL) and Francisco Lindor (two in AL, two in NL). Betts and Guerrero Sr. are still the only two players to have won the award three or more times in both leagues. The Nashville native earned his eighth All-Star game nod after slashing .304/.405/.488 with 10 homers and 40 RBI in the first half of the campaign.

The Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award is the top offensive honor in Major League Baseball. A vote of MLB managers and coaches decides the Silver Slugger Award winners. They cast ballots for the players they determine to be the best offensive producers at each position in their respective league. Each team receives four votes: the manager and three coaches of their choice. Votes are based on a combination of offensive statistics including OBP, OPS, OPS+, home runs, hits, RBI and batting average as well as the managers’ and coaches’ general impressions of a player’s overall offensive value. The accounting firm of Deming, Malone, Livesay & Ostroff verifies the tabulation of ballots.