By MATT PIKE
It may have been a down year for Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr, but Major League Baseball didn’t see it that away as the young star shortstop hauled in two more awards this week.
After being named the American League Gold Glove winner at shortstop on Sunday, Witt Jr won his second consecutive American League Silver Slugger award on Friday, and on the same night was announced by Rawlings as the winner of the American League Platinum Glove award, the first of his career.
Witt Jr. was eligible for the Platinum Glove after winning his second consecutive Gold Glove award. He co-led all MLB players, regardless of position, in Statcast Outs Above Average, with +24, tied with Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, demonstrating his tremendous range at shortstop. Since 2023, no player has racked up more OAA than Witt’s +54.
It’s now back-to-back years that Witt Jr has brought home the Silver Slugger award. Despite it being a down year for him, the 25 year old star shortstop still hit .295 with 23 home runs, 38 stolen bases and an .852 OPS. He joins Salvador Perez, George Brett and Willie Wilson as the only Royals players to win multiple Silver Slugger Awards.
Maikel Garcia, Perez, and Vinnie Pasquantino were also nominated as finalists for the award. Garcia lost at the utility position to Detroit’s Zach McKinstry, Perez lost to Seattle’s Cal Raleigh who led the majors with 60 home runs, while Pasquantino lost to A’s rookie Nick Kurtz who hit 36 home runs in his debut season.
On the National League side the lone St. Louis Cardinal named a finalist for the Silver Slugger, Alec Burleson, won at the utility position. Burleson batted .290 with 18 home runs, 69 RBIs and an .801 OPS. He’s the Cardinals’ first Silver Slugger Award winner since Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado in 2022.
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