The Red Sox have two bats in the Silver Slugger mix, and both came from the same 2026 lineup that leaned on Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu for production all season long.
MLB announced Wednesday that Contreras and Abreu are finalists for the award, with winners set to be revealed on November 17. Between them, the pair piled up 51 home runs in 2026 and finished as Boston’s top two hitters in both home runs and RBIs.
Boston has been waiting a bit for this kind of recognition. The Red Sox last had a Silver Slugger winner in 2023, when Rafael Devers took home the honor at third base. That made it five times in six years that the club had at least one Silver Slugger representative, so the stretch since then stands out.
Contreras appears to have the cleaner path of the two, since he is one of only two first basemen in the field. Even so, the competition is steep. Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso is the other finalist, and after leading the American League in home runs, he looks like the favorite.
Abreu’s road is even more crowded. He is one of nine outfield finalists, with only three winners coming out of the group.
The list includes AL East rivals Cody Bellinger and Chandler Simpson, along with Angels star Mike Trout and Randy Arozarena. Tristan Peters, Chase DeLauter, Riley Greene, and Jac Caglianone are also in the mix.
Neither Contreras nor Abreu has won a Silver Slugger before, so either one breaking through would mark a major milestone.
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