Los Angeles Dodgers stars Shohei Ohtani and Max Muncy have been named to the shortlist for Major League Baseball’s prestigious Silver Slugger Award.
Since 1980, the Silver Slugger Award is given away annually to the game’s best hitters at their position.
View this post on Instagram
Ohtani has won the award as a designated hitter four times, twice as a member of the Los Angeles Angeles and twice as a Dodger. He will be vying for his fourth consecutive Silver Slugger, and his fifth in six seasons.
Despite nagging injuries, Ohtani still led all designated hitters in on-base percentage (.377) and OPS (.889), as well as led the position in doubles and stolen bases.
He finished with the second-most home runs among National League DHs, trailing only Philadelphia Phillies star Kyle Schwarber, the other finalist for the award. Ohtani recorded 30 home runs, while Schwarber cleared him easily with a Major League-leading 45, tied with Chicago Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong.
Read More: Dodgers predicted to sign Gold Glove-winning utility man
Even though injuries derailed much of his season, Ohtani’s 2026 campaign is still worthy of some form of hardware—his chances of being named NL MVP for the third straight year are basically nonexistent with Crow-Armstrong considered the overwhelming favorite.
Max Muncy hoping to win first Silver Slugger
Max Muncy is the other Dodger player worthy of consideration for the coveted batting trophy.
Muncy played in a career-high 149 games during the 2026 season, leading all National League third basemen in slugging percentage (4.90) and OPS (.837). He finished the season with a .252 batting average with 123 hits, including 29 home runs and a career-best 27 doubles.
He has never won the award, but has come close in the past. He was a top three vote-getter at first base in 2021, and at third base in 2025. Adrian Beltré is the only Dodgers’ third baseman to receive the honor.
Muncy is competing with Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman, who finished with 28 homers and a .464 slugging percentage in his debut season in Chicago. Bregman won a Silver Slugger in 2019, a year in which he finished second in the American League MVP race.
The Dodgers as a whole are among four finalists for the Offensive Team of the Year award.
Read More: NL Central team wants Skubal ‘badly,’ MLB insider says
Two former Dodgers players also made the shortlist for the Silver Slugger.
New York Yankees star and former NL MVP Cody Bellinger is a finalist for the American League outfield.
Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas ends his breakout season as a finalist in the American League, but with Tampa Bay Rays star Junior Caminero as the other finalist, Vargas will likely have to wait a few more years before his number is called.
The Silver Slugger Award is voted on by Major League Baseball managers and coaches, who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The award winners will be announced on Nov. 17, MLB says.
The award was expanded to include best-hitting utility player in 2022, and the best offensive team in 2023.
For more stories like this, follow Dodgers Dynasty on Instagram and Facebook.
