Two Dodgers are still in the Silver Slugger conversation, with Max Muncy and Shohei Ohtani landing among the National League finalists at third base and designated hitter, respectively, for the 2026 awards announced Thursday morning.
The Silver Slugger Awards honor the top offensive player at each position in each league, with the winners chosen by managers and three coaches from every team in the league.
Ohtani put together another big year at DH, leading National League designated hitters in on-base percentage at .377, OPS at .889, wRC+ at 139, doubles with 26 and stolen bases with 11. Even though he didn’t homer after Aug. 18 while dealing with left knee and right biceps injuries, his 30 home runs still ranked second among NL designated hitters.
He started 134 games at designated hitter and was one of just four NL players to start at least 100 games there this season, joining Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies, Iván Herrera of the St. Louis Cardinals and Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Schwarber is the other NL designated hitter in the top two of the voting. He tied for the major league lead with 45 home runs and hit .232/.354/.503 with a 130 wRC+, 20 doubles, 105 walks, 97 RBI and 95 runs scored.
Ohtani already has four Silver Sluggers, including the last two with the Dodgers in 2024 and 2025, plus 2021 and 2023 with the Angels. He was also a finalist at designated hitter in 2022.
Muncy’s case is built on volume and production. After two seasons with extended time on the injured list, he played a career-high 149 games and led all NL third basemen in OPS at .837, slugging percentage at .490 and wRC+ at 129. He hit .252/.348/.490 with 29 home runs and a career-best 27 doubles.
Alex Bregman of the Chicago Cubs is the other NL third baseman in the top two of the voting. He hit .265/.355/.464 with a 128 wRC+, 28 home runs, 33 doubles and 76 walks.
Muncy has never won the award, though he finished in the top three in voting in 2021 as a first baseman and again in 2025 at third base, despite appearing in only 100 games.
The Silver Slugger Award dates back to 1980, and Adrian Beltré remains the only Dodgers third baseman to win it, taking home the honor in 2004.
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