Mike Trout is back in Silver Slugger territory, and this time the Angels center fielder is chasing a milestone that would put him in rare company.
MLB announced its 2026 Silver Slugger finalists on Thursday, and Trout was included among nine American League outfielders in the running for the award. If he gets the nod, it would be his 10th Silver Slugger, a total that would move him into a tie for second all-time with Mike Piazza and Alex Rodriguez. Only Barry Bonds, with 12, has more.
Trout’s Silver Slugger résumé already stretches across multiple dominant runs. He won five straight from 2012-16, added three more from 2018-20 and picked up another in 2022.
This year’s case is built on a full season that looked a lot more like the Trout of old. After injuries limited him from 2021-24, he reached his goal of playing at least 140 games and finished with 142.
He also made his 12th All-Star Game and posted a .242 average with an .803 OPS, 26 doubles, 22 home runs, 54 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. His 4.1 WAR was his best since 2022, and he finished with a 131 OPS+.
Trout, who will be 35 next season, has said he would be open to moving from center field to left field in 2027 if that helps the Angels best manage his health over the final four years of his contract.
He’ll have to beat out Wilyer Abreu, Randy Arozarena, Cody Bellinger, Jac Caglianone, Chase DeLauter, Riley Greene, Tristan Peters and Chandler Simpson for one of the three outfield Silver Slugger spots.
The Angels have another finalist in shortstop Zach Neto, who is seeking his first Silver Slugger. Neto was joined on the nominee list by Kevin McGonigle and Bobby Witt Jr.
Neto’s 2026 season gave him a strong case. He set career highs in runs scored with 102, which ranked fifth in the American League, home runs with 27, RBIs with 77 and triples with five, good for sixth in the AL. He also added 34 doubles, seventh in the league, and 24 stolen bases, eighth in the AL.
He was also on the field almost every day, appearing in a career-high 157 games and logging 704 plate appearances, second-most in the AL. That production added up to a 5.2 WAR, 10th in the league and just a shade below his 5.3 mark from 2025.
The Silver Slugger winners will be announced Tuesday, Nov. 17.
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