Mookie Betts wins another Silver Slugger Award

Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts kept his busy awards season going on Thursday, capturing his fourth Silver Slugger Award as one of the three best-hitting outfielders in his league, and his third in a row.

His first three such awards (2016, 2018, 2019) came with the Red Sox in the American League, while this was his first Silver Slugger in the National League, sharing outfield honors along with the Nationals’ Juan Soto and Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Braves.

Betts hit .292/.366/.562, a 149 OPS+ with 16 home runs, 10 stolen bases, 39 RBI, and 47 runs scored in 55 games this season. He ranked sixth in the National League, and second to Soto among NL outfielders, in Offensive WAR (2.4).

On Monday Betts was named as a top-three finisher in National League MVP voting, with the winner announced on Nov. 12. Tuesday, he picked up his fifth consecutive Gold Glove Award, becoming the sixth Dodger to win both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award in the same season:

• Dusty Baker (1981)
• Russell Martin (2007)
• Matt Kemp (2009, 2011)
• Adrian Gonzalez (2014)
• Cody Bellinger (2019)
• Mookie Betts (2020)

The Silver Slugger, which has been awarded since 1980, is given annually to the top offensive player at each position. It’s voted on by the manager and three coaches from each team in both leagues.